Soul Dissociation
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Note: A fic centered around Shuuhei x OC, with moments of Rangiku x Shuuhei, Ran x Gin, Urahara x Yoruichi. ^^
Disclaimer: I own none of the bleach chars, only my own OCs.
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Chapter 0: Prequel
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The sky was relentless, thundering and pouring down heavy rain for the past 24 hours straight, with no signs of slowing down. The clouds were so appallingly dark, they blocked the sunlight, making it appear to be a night hour. It had been many decades since such a devastating weather took place in Soul Society, especially in the furthest regions of the Rukongai area where the larger rivers over flooded from the downpour, wiping away the houses that were nearby in barely a blink of an eye.
The heart of Soul Society, Seireitei, was in the best proper conditions you could have asked for though... considering the situation. The damage was minimized by the many protective barriers coating the region, set up in a timely manner to prevent such tragedies happening indoors, where the majority of the high spiritual population lived including the warriors tasked with overseeing the soul balance in the world.
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The Shinigami
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Due to their headquarters suffering almost no damage at all, the Gotei 13 had been elected by Central 46 to deal with the problems in the outskirts of Seireitei, located deep in the Rukongai area, ranging from the nearest district to the upmost dead-end one at number 80 – all 4 cardinal points, mind you. However, not every squad was actually keen on hurrying up with solving this task or even preparing for it as a matter of fact. Many felt it was unfair to send officers to deal with the natural calamities of the land and aid people who were careless enough to be in this mess in the first place. A house so close by the river would always see worse faiths in unexpected times. It shouldn't otherwise be so shocking that it can be destroyed by the source of life next to it when you don't even bother protecting it against such events or designing it with the proper materials.
Especially the teams that had been assigned to the poorest of districts – the men and women were in really no hurry at all to solve these issues or even offer a helping hand. They bickered about their luck and complained, wasting precious hours while doing so.
The widespread perception was that those souls were simply a burden they shouldered too often... The majority was not even contributing to this world in any way that was productive and, unless it was Hollow related, then it was beyond a Shinigami's responsibility and pay. It was quite uncommon to see one willingly set foot outside the wealthy districts and succumb to the world inside the slums.
All of them. They didn't break their backs 6 years in the academy to solve petty thefts or other types of missions that put their skills and talents to waste.
It was irritating...
"Leave it to the 4th Squad. They're a bunch of spineless wuss in battle, the least they could do is getting off their useless arses and clean up all the shit around while the actual Shinigami do more productive things with their time.", the loud mouths from the 11th did not even want to receive such orders for it would hinder their precious training schedule. Zaraki Kenpachi almost crushed an entire Hell Butterfly after receiving these shitty orders, uncaring of the consequences it would generate. It was an idiotic order. And his squad members found more use in sharpening up their blades and train, building more attack dummies than go do such humanitarian shit. Kenpachi's blade was crying for spilled blood in battle; a little rain to become such an emergency was laughable to the extent he felt like actually killing someone for this.
Thankfully, not everyone carried such rigid, stone cold attitudes.
The 9th Squad was between the first ones to answer the distress messages, not blind to the suffering, and cancelled any type of activities in their barracks, alongside the 5th and 3rd Squad. Unfortunately, they couldn't aid the people using their full force since many of their ranking officers were off doing Hollow reconnaissance or other types of missions in the Living World – few could be spared and be sent back to Soul Society.
Either way, they did their best to follow through with the orders received, Tousen sending Shuuhei as leading commander of the mission.
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The horrid weather conditions – bringing forth torrents, on-growing darkness and chaos mixed with screams of men, women and children alike – were making the operation quite a challenging one to efficiently control.
Devastation was at its comfortable home here.
The reports kept filling in with memos from the scouts who kept sending back data from the in-field reconnaissance operations, constantly requesting for immediate backup. Hundreds of people had already lost their own homes by the time the first rescue teams arrived, many perishing due to the destructive power of the waters that rushed at the people without warning. The failure of the structural integrity of these shabby barracks was almost instant, trapping countless bodies under the rubbles and suffocating the souls instantly.
It was quite a horrible sight even for those Shinigami who were used to seeing tragedy during their battling with the Hollows. They were never subjected to this magnitude of calamity. So many remnants and bodies were drifting around aimlessly, in a morbid dance in these flooded neighborhoods...
Death, nevertheless, was not an unfamiliar sight...
Not for the fukutaichou who spotted a few kids dangerously close to the muddy rivers, fishing up parts once belonging to either friends or family, spilling their eyes out in tears – they had lost everything they held precious in this forsaken existence. They had been duped into coming here by the Shinigami, left alone in unfamiliar settings – discarded.
All of them had been promised a way of living which was better than the one they had left. Time proved otherwise...
Their eyes nurtured anguish and hatred towards the newcomers.
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"Shinigami are not welcomed here, had we not suffered enough yet?! Is there anything left for you to take from us?!"
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These forsaken regions in Rukongai shared similar resentment for the Shinigami... it would always hit a painful chord in Shuuhei's heart, remembering his older self mirroring the same bitter beliefs once. A very long time ago... Because he knew life on both ends and knew the struggles of both worlds, over the years, Shuuhei had learnt to overlook such spiteful words and not allow it to shake his heart... much.
The locals were hurting in ways no one could understand unless you lived amongst them. He was able to resonate with their pain well. Actually... not far from this sector, his old home was lying in battered ruins for sure.
Their reputation also suffered from actions within the organization. Bad seedlings in their rankings would create illegal schemes, using their powers and abusing their titles to prey on these souls like savages. Unfortunately, it was difficult to detect and get rid of the weeds popping inside Seireitei. As a fukutaichou, Shuuhei was doing his best to monitor his squad's activities, taking upon him the burden of authority in dealing with those inadequate, presenting his reports weekly to the taichou.
"Stay the hell away, you robed freaks!", the suffering yelled, people picking up anything their hands could get onto and throwing the objects towards the Shinigami closest to them. "Go back now! We don't need you!"
The teams froze.
"Y-You runts!"
Shuuhei looked passed his shoulder, taking in his men's perplexed expressions and their hesitance to act because of the sudden backlash, a few even looking to chicken out on the mission entirely.
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"Is this even worth it?!"
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A question peering inside their hearts; their patience was running thin with so many ungrateful bastards surrounding them. Their own safety was in jeopardy as well in this dreadful weather, eventually voicing their complaints loudly to the fukutaichou, frustrating him with their attitudes.
"EVERYONE ENOUGH!", the thunder in his voice was unmatched, silencing the voices.
Shuuhei ran his hand annoyed through his wet hair, his other forming a fist at his side. Did he truly have to remind all of them in such dire moments of their Shinigami duties and why they chose this profession in the first place?! Or were their convictions so weak and feeble, wavering so easily at the fist sign of hardship? Was that the type of Shinigami they wanted to be? Opportunists? Cowards fleeing and leaving behind the ones they were tasked to save and protect?!
He didn't want such people tarnishing the Squad's integrity and the Shinigami name as a whole – not on his watch and that was a promise Shuuhei would make to each of them without a second glance. Orders were given to them by their captain who put his entire faith and trust into their strengths to make a change in other's lives for the better and show the souls here that they weren't forgotten in their moments of extreme darkness.
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They weren't alone!
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Shuuhei could also sense areas with faint reiatsu, scattered around and this made him even more determined to succeed today – who knew what potential lied in many of the souls present here? If they didn't help, the potential might be lost for good... potential that can grow one day to surpass the current generation of Shinigami.
Continuing to look at his men's perplexed expressions, his voice softened a bit from his scolding tone. Those who truly wished to leave the area for the comfort of their own quarters, were allowed to go-
"-and immediately pack up your belongings, sending your resignation to my office!", he called out loudly, already eyeing a few hesitant Squad members whom he caught sighing relieved, only to shudder under his intense gaze.
"F-Fukutaichou..."
"Anyone not following orders shall be removed indefinitely.", he ended his message and quickly resumed his focus onto the important matters at hand, his attitude shifting even more – the desire to keep the souls safe, kept Shuuhei going at a crazy pacing, sending out commands left and right, never losing his stamina and strength.
All the while, the ranking officers remained in awe – to see their fukutaichou in such an intimidating light, yet not once losing his patience with these troublesome souls, giving it his all without second guessing himself... despite the mud caking his drenched outfit and the nails biting in his skin from the shrieking souls, their commander never lost his cool with the souls, handling their fragile bodies with as much care as he could muster.
"..."
Shame pooled over those who had thoughts of fleeing, using the words and actions of Shuuhei as a catalyst from then onwards. Each tried their hardest in order to salvage whatever they could manage to find between the wreckage, inspired by their fukutaichou's hardwork.
He was the pillar of the mission for the squad...
But... even with their best efforts, it would not be sufficed in the end. The situation abruptly changed, terrifying howling spreading around like wildfire, the screams more frightening than before. The situation turned too dire, too fast and there was no time to contemplate his next move as Shuuhei raised his Zanpakuto, calling out itsname.
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*SCRIBBLE SCRIBBLE SCRIBBLE*
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During the first year in the Academy, all the students were taught how to handle the Plus Souls they'd encounter in their journeys, how to communicate with them about the marvels of Soul Society, how it was a place where they could start over after their human death. It would be a life with hope and happiness, a chance to be reunited with their long lost loved ones. They would no longer be hungry or suffer from illnesses or diseases.
It was true – but the odds were so slim, few had this blessing.
Shuuhei already forgot about his previous existence, having no memories of the time before Soul Society. His loved ones were never discovered, that is something he knows for certain despite the haze of time. Nevertheless, he still firmly believed in the possibility of living a good life here, but sometimes he'd falter and waver to more negative thoughts...
Holding the prestigious title of fukutaichou did not protect his heart from some burdens that could be too heavy to carry on his own.
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Shinigami are like the plague, always returning when things get better!
Go back to your rich neighborhoods and leave us alone!
We don't want any more trouble around!
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Trouble.
It was, more or less, the outcome of this entire mission... *deep sigh*
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Those kids by the river...
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They were still fresh into his mind and probably would remain forever imprinted in his memories. The outcome made the paperwork difficult to finish while he was back at the office, reporting the events of the rescue efforts in vivid details.
It ended up in failure... had it not been for Tousen-taichou.
Their mission was stomped by apparitions of Great Hollows, which spawned unexpectedly, wrecking even more havoc to an already dreadful situation, but with the untimely arrival of Tousen-taichou, the casualties were kept to a minimum on their side. They were victorious, but a lot of local had not been so lucky. They had been robbed of their future, alongside many other inhabitants that were captured by the Hollows, no longer of the soul world.
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Shuuhei wondered whether their high reiatsu in the area might have attracted Hollow apparitions in the district – it wouldn't be farfetched, considering how wildly his own reiatsu was flowing because of Kazeshini.
"Tch..."
He failed miserably...
"Damn it!", he cursed, losing his concentration – again. He couldn't even properly write anymore out of frustration, pen already scratching through the paper. Shuuhei certainly had breaking points throughout the years, one threatening to explode right about now if his mind kept being stuck in such a poisonous gutter.
So, he decided to take a break.
Sighing deeply and massaging his aching temple after another report was painfully scribbled over and discarded as junk, he leaned back onto his chair. He felt so exhausted... Shuuhei's eyes landed on his sword soon enough, narrowing down his eyes while he watched its unsheathed form placed vertically against a corner. He scratched his head in annoyance. Once more, the Shinigami couldn't manage to control it properly... Kazeshini's Shikai was like a double-edged blade that could reap even the user's life if he weren't careful enough. And if that wasn't terrifying enough, Shuuhei almost harmed his own men in the process of handling the blades – him, the 2nd in command, almost beheading a few recruits while battling the Hollows.
It was an all-consuming thought, ripping through his consciousness.
The storm had made it extra difficult to control Kazeshini. It almost seemed like he had a mind and will of its own as a Shikai, stubbornly unresponsive to his commands, Shuuhei unable to control the aim properly. It would always fly in different directions than intended to and if Tousen-taichou hadn't shown up when he did, putting an end to it all, then...
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Shuuhei didn't want to imagine further. No – what he needed was a change of scenery and at this hour in the night, he could find it only in one place. Descending from the barracks, the Shinigami deeply breathed in the fresh cold air as he made his way towards his favorite tavern in the entirety of the town.
The sky had cleared up a lot after the incident and he soon had the tavern in sight.
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Shuuhei was a little surprised how lively it was, considering the bone breaking events in Rukongai this past week... actually, scratch that, he shouldn't be at all. Drinking was always top priority for everyone with bad days and socializing with comrades raised up the spirits immensely.
Right at the entrance, he could spot many familiar figures, laughing and having a good time – members from different squads, seated officers and even Shunsui-taichou! His presence was a rare sight in here, usually preferring the privacy of his own quarters to indulge in his drinking games. He was accompanied by his lieutenant who looked to be on the verge of losing her wit's end. She gave up on being nice and presentable, going as far as pulling onto the captain's pink flowery top quite fiercely.
"You have a meeting at 7am and at this rate, I'll have too hard of a time waking you up in the morning! And too few hours to get the alcohol smell off your breath and clothing!", Ise-san complained, but the man laughed it away. It was early in the night, the sweetest of hours in a day~!
"My sweet, Nanao-chan~!", the taichou smiled blissfully, grabbing her small hand gently and cupping it into his warm larger ones. "You worry about me too much, I'm not used to being so pamper-" *gets pinched painfully*
"It's not you I'm worried about, but our Squad's unfinished duties! Now, I won't repeat myself again, taichou!", she responded sternly, her cheeks reddening. She felt her sanity would run low. "Like a child...", Ise-san muttered under her breath, managing to pick the tipsy man up from the chair, guiding him towards the door.
Shuuhei had to refrain from laughing out loud, coughing to mask the act, already feeling his spirit being lifted by just being present in this cheerful environment. He respectfully greeted those two, not noticing a glint in Shunsui's eyes and his smile faltering slightly. "Good evening, Hisagi-san. Excuse us.", Ise-san answered formally, making her way through.
"It's a nice moon tonight~!", the taichou randomly answered back, annoying the woman even further. What moon was he seeing in such a clouded sky?
"..."
Anyway...
Shuuhei spotted someone waving at him and went to the back end table, grabbing the empty seat next to Kira who was accompanied by Hinamori-chan and Abarai-kun. She offered him a plate with some side dish for the third round of sake they ordered just now. They got him a drink too.
"Thank you."
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This gathering was like the one they had during their Academy days, when they'd spend the evenings together in such close quarters. Even then Shuuhei would be the last one to arrive, mostly because of work. Ever since that disastrous lesson in the Human World in his final study year, he came to befriend them and respect them as comrades, standing on equal grounds together years later.
They hadn't had such a reunion in months, probably years, each busy with their own schedules and work. They'd share words between meetings, but other than that, each was with their own business and life.
Abarai was the one Shuuhei saw the rarest amongst them. The guy still hadn't been promoted – yet – to a lieutenant ranking, although judging by the discussions in the last few meetings, the transfer was close to being approved. The red head was left in the dark, all three of them hiding the surprise from the red head.
Kira had been appointed his higher rank this very last season and the thought of being the only one who hadn't made it yet from the group, turned Abarai quite sour and miserable... he needed to get closer to him so he can manage to return into Rukia's life.
"Don't worry, I'm sure your time will come. Slowly.", Shuuhei joked, sipping onto his drink casually. "Sod off.", the red head muttered sourly, getting scolded by Hinamori quickly for his rude behavior.
"Apologies accepted.", Shuuhei taunted even more despite him not saying 'sorry' – he never did. But a look from the girl at the table was enough for the fukutaichou to stop picking on his junior. This friendly banter was refreshing though... Really, Shuuhei was now glad he chose to come here tonight.
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Just as the food and drinks turned the mood sweeter, suddenly more people crashed their table, the front person being non other than the voluptuous lieutenant of the 10th Squad.
"Rangiku-san!"
The woman was yelling from afar to the bartender, ordering more rounds of sake as she brought Isane-san and Kusajishi to the front. She had just escaped her silly captain, slipping past him before finishing the last of the reports. She then found these rascals lurking around the streets!
And then she sees them all gathered up here~!
"Bartender! Please hurry up with those drinks~!", she demanded cheerfully, receiving a quick response – those will arrive soon! The workers were so happy she was blessing them with their presence! This woman had no off-switch when it came to sake. She could drink for hours and still retain her consciousness!
It was good for business! And staring at her during work hours was the bonus~!
"Y-You're in a really high mood.", Hinamori noticed surprised... but when she heard of Rangiku's story, the smaller one then realized time flew too much inside the tavern. She apologized, quickly sitting up. She had to meet her captain before the official trainee routines at dawn – it was 2am already so if she wanted some sleep, she had to leave now and grab those few remaining hours.
Rangiku was too slow to catch the little kitten while she escaped through the night. "Next time, I'll make sure you stay all night~!", she added. But then her point of interest changed, her eyes boring deep into the darker ones of the Shinigami nearby her. To be fair – she hoped to see him here the most, her mood brightening further.
And he knew this very well.
Whenever those two got together in close range, Rangiku would get especially touchy-touchy with him. Shuuhei was already red in the cheeks from the alcohol, now he was becoming redder than a tomato after she plopped so close to him, his hand trembling on the cup slightly. He tried keeping his blood flow normal, b-but it was difficult for she planted her chest too close to him in her attempt to squeeze her way towards her own seat~! Maybe he could blame all of this on the alcohol!
Shuuhei had too much already, thinking of applying the same excuse as Hinamori did. He wished to leave the bar before he'd do something regretful, but was stopped by her firm hands placed on his arm. "Don't be a spoil sport~! Don't you want to spend time with me, too?", she asked, the question trapping him there. He was powerfully pressed back on his chair, the waiter finally coming to their table with the order.
It was time to play some drinking games since they were the even numbers~! Renji, Kira, Shuuhei one team and Rangiku, Isane and Yachiru another!
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After a few hours, Shuuhei didn't even know his last name anymore, everyone leaving him alone with Rangiku and Kira, latter who ended up smacking his face onto the table... he was knocked outcold from all the sake and fatigue from the party.
"Come on, drink some more~! Your face looks so sour, Shuuhei!", she noticed from the moment she came inside the bar that his reiatsu reeked of troubles. She knew it wasn't from the drink. The sake could never make a man sour!
What was bothering him?
*sigh* Eventually... he ended up spilling out all of his recent secrets and thoughts, complaining about his Kazeshini's attitude, the strange powerful Hollows popping in Rukongai area and... nearly endangering his recruits while aiding them in battle.
"That's it?!", she almost laughed at this. Was he really bothered by such details? It made him redden worse at her reaction and actually... have few of his buttons react negatively to her words. "I'm dead serious, it's a big problem!", he replied quite childishly, wearing a deep frown. The good mood vanished quickly...
"Hmmm...? If that's problem is too big to handle, then we should do something to remedy that...", Rangiku shifted her body closer and her voice carried sweeter tunes. All of a sudden her right hand reaching for some strands of his hair, messing with his bangs as she fluffed them upwards without hesitating one bit. "How about practicing our Shikai releases in a more private setting, perhaps we could both crack some tension here and there."
Her fingers were gliding towards his strong, sculpted features, not shying away from touching his skin – it made his body twitch and breathe catch in his throat. "Let's help each other out. What do you say...?" Her own Haineko could be a pain in the ass and she had no patience all alone with her, but with someone around to help tame her naughty kitten, then maybe~~~ she'll have some fun training tonight. "Like in those woods... It really helped touch the issues in the right places.", she spoke, suggestively enunciating certain words that made Shuuhei's eyes wide.
He could spot her true intentions very clearly. This woman really had no restraints...
Her nimble fingers were slowly making their way down his chest, approaching his stomach area where she could feel his tension rise higher, back slowly arching from the electricity surges he felt. Rangiku was exploring dangerous regions right now. She was feeling too much of his muscles and his breathing was becoming too rasp, heart beating too fast.
T-T-This was bad, K-Kira was still there and the p-people in the tavern might be w-watching - *feels sweet pain in his lower regions* He gritted his teeth, squeezing his eyes while he suffocated because of her mercilessly tight grip. He knew it was a mistake, but the sake overshadowed his cognitive skills and the surges were healing his mood.
Rangiku overpowered him so easily...
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*BLOODSHOT*
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He couldn't keep his blood flow normal, spraying the table, giving Rangiku the perfect excuse to get him out of there and walk the roads together to his quarters~! She had to save the poor lieutenant and she had the best cure!
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"AAAAACK!", Kira suddenly woke up, after being woken up by the waiter – they were closing up.
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They all just ditched him here!
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Rangiku-san...
Shewas his weakness, making his heart skip a beat whenever they shared the same room. His body would always warn him of her presence in the most shameless ways, a swift of her perfume being the minimum requirement when his body had weakened sufficiently. She always noticed despite his hakama hiding most of the shame inside the folds – she couldn't stop teasing him about it in certain moments, calling his reactions cute.
W-Well, it couldn't be helped! A man was a man!
No matter how honorable he tried to be, there were slips at times. And there were other issues... the main one being this entire arrangement between them.
That's right, it was nothing more, nothing less than an arrangement.
The implications were certainly not to his liking, Rangiku-san being straightforward with him since the early beginning. She agreed to both of them having free benefits from such private activities, however without the sentimental attachments that would accompany them normally. His good looks and body ranked Shuuhei high up her list – but he wasn't top spot. So she didn't have any expectations for them to date or actually be a couple, it was far less stressful this way... although, Rangiku-san wouldn't refuse chocolates or stylish clothing once in a while~! *winks* Or free food. Or sake. Lots of sake. *winks winks*
All in all...
It was not something he truly desired, but it was the best thing he could get out of the woman for the time being... Not that Shuuhei had alternatives to choose from.
"..."
Shuuhei turned his head, looking right at the empty spot next to his side. Rangiku didn't remain – like always. She left rather earlier than usual too. Probably she had gotten what she wanted pretty fast, sensing his reiatsu had brightened enough.
"Don't miss me too much~!"
"Sure. Like it would do me any good...", he mumbled, picking up a strand of hair she left behind on the pillow, one of the mementos of tonight's outcome, the other being the tiredness sweeping over his body. "..."
He had no other connections he could bond over with in such intimate ways, none whatsoever. He was far too busy with work to invest sentiments into another person, most relationships he had being strictly professional or amicable. None could catch his interest. Unlike Rangiku-san... She was the only one who could still poke his heart and make him feel things...
Terribly good things when she was in the mood.
Bittersweet otherwise.
She mostly complained at him or sent him to various errands he would stupidly agree on. He didn't really mind... most of the time he would be glad to be of help. "Thanks, Shuuhei~! I knew I could count on a man like you!"
Out of all his acquaintances, the lieutenant knew the most about his past, including the memories that gave him some of his scars. She could also be particularly gifted at advice giving when he was at his lowest points – Rangiku's true personality and caring nature would appear, charming his problems away temporarily. The effects were already diminishing, Shuuhei feeling his disappointment growing, that there was no way to hold onto her permanently, just an empty spot that still held faint traces of warmth. He was sinking back into his own desolated world. Serves him right though... It was only natural his social life would carry a double-edged component.
Just like his damned Shikai.
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Great, now he was thinking of Kazeshini. AGAIN.
'That entire workout after the tavern was for nothing', he thought sinking even deeper in his flooding emotions, which were interrupted by murmurs of movement and soon, voices from the nearby quarters... 5:00 am.
He groaned, cupping his face with both of his hands, feeling his head throbbing as well as his lower regions. He didn't get any shut eye at all and was suffering the consequences of some really bad choices...
Shuuhei hoped Tousen-taichou didn't have any difficult tasks for him to accomplish that day...
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In his absentminded mood, he accidentally bumped into the desk while reaching for his scattered clothing, hearing something fall down with a loud thud, the contents inside clinging. That brought his immediate attention, snapping him awake. His eyes widen, quickly picking it up, feeling quite relieved nothing seemed broken... even more than it was.
His eyes traced over the sharp metal shards, which were wrapped in a really damaged silk cloth, burn patches all over it. Next to those was a small stack of old papers bound together using strings. The writing was faint, the lettering faded almost entirely, but to this day Shuuhei knew the content by heart. The words had long become scars that shall never heal.
Last but not least, there were a few photos stuck to the bottom. Some were from the academy days, his graduation and his Shinigami days at the 9th Squad.
One in particular was from when he was made lieutenant, receiving blessings from the other squad's as it was the custom. His finger traced over one individual in particular, smiling softly at the awkward angle the body was bent in that pose. It was obviously a forced bow, even through the picture feeling the hate from it. More like embarrassment, he figured out later on.
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Smile faltering, he put those away quickly, averting his gaze before he got trapped in childish sentiments again.
"Enough of that."
Shuuhei moved the box back into one of the emptier shelves, where he'd keep books, miscellaneous trinkets or other items he'd collected throughout the years. Boy... there were many during his explorations of the Living World, his guitar being between the top items, sitting next to sword. A fragment of that same metal was hanging from Kazeshini's end, Shuuhei using it as a lucky charm...
... Kazeshini was unusually quiet that morning.
Where was the mocking tune he'd blurt out every morning?
He couldn't shake the ominous feeling as he opened the window to let some fresh air inside the stuffy room. The sky was cleared out and despite the daylight, the moon's figure still was visible in the sky. It reminded him of Shunsui-taichou's strange words at the bar. It really was odd that the man had been there last night, come to think of it... especially during these rougher times in Soul Society, a lot of captains were too busy to take a break so far away from the barracks. Also Rangiku-san appearing at the tavern so suddenly – they hadn't been in a private setting for more than a few months.
"...!"
While checking his schedule, Shuuhei peeked over at the calendar from his desk. Oh... so that was the reason why. "Heh."
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He had some chrysanthemums he needed to buy today.
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He really wished Tousen-taichou had an easy mission for him today.