Here I Am
Summary: Sequel to 'I'll be waiting…' Shunsui and Jushiro are finally going to be reunited, and there are people waiting for them as well.
Shunsui Kyoraku smiled as he watched the academy students talk, eat lunch, or practice their skills on their day off in the court yard.
It has been four hundred years since Jushiro passed on and three hundred years since Shunsui retired from his captain's position to Nanao. A lot has happened; one thing being: Yamamoto finally stepped down and gave his position to Byakuya, Renji was no the captain of Squad 6; the captains of squads 3, 5, and 9, were finally replaced by Rukia Kuchiki-Kurosaki, Ichigo Kurosaki, and Shuuhei Hisagi in that order.
After Shunsui returned, he became a Defense against Zanpakto teacher. If he finished class early, he'd tell his students about himself and Jushiro and their times together; it worked well because the girls liked the romance while the boys enjoyed the action. Though the years alone had been hard on him, the captains and students always eased his mind and made him happy.
"Shunsui-sensei!" Shunsui turned his head with a smile to see three of his female students, fangirls of his stories.
"What can I do for you Makoto-chan?" he asked with a smile.
The three bowed. "Please tell us another story about you and Ukitake-san," they said in unison.
Shunsui laughed. "Which one? I have-," Shunsui couldn't finish when suddenly there was a horrible roar.
Everyone, but Shunsui, began to panic at the sight of a gargantuan opening and hundreds of menos grande beginning to pour out. Some seniors attacked with their zanpakuto but Shunsui got in their way.
"What are you doing sensei?!" a boy shouted.
"Let me take care of it for now. Get everyone else inside and out of danger!" Shunsui shouted, not taking his eyes off the hollows.
The students hesitated before complying, ushering everyone into the building while dodging the giant hollows. Shunsui began to unlock power he hasn't needed to use since he was a captain. Shunsui ran forward and began to kill as many menos as he could' he had to keep the outbreak away from the school until the other captains and shinigami came.
"Ahh! Please somebody help me!" Shunsui turned to see Makoto on the ground; a menos barreling towards her.
"Makoto-chan!" he shouted and shunpo'd to her.
"Huh!" Makoto gasped as blood splashed on her face. "Shunsui-sensei…"
Shunsui had deflected the menos's hand but the other one went through his chest' now he was bleeding, fast. The menos pulled back and Makoto gasped as she caught her teacher; she held him tightly when the menos moved to strike again but then the calvery arrived.
Ichigo Kurosaki was suddenly in front of them and then, just as suddenly, killing the menos. A chain of events happened then, Kenpachi and his daughter, Yachiru, were back to back, Ichigo was going head after head; Byakuya and his sister were using combination attacks and Nanao was using her powerful bankai.
Makoto was panicking as she added pressure to Shunsui's wound to try and stop the bleeding but it wasn't working; Byakuya noticed.
"Shunsui!" he shout, nowhere near as emotionless as he was before his friend's death, and ran over to his friend.
"Shunsui," Ichigo said in shock; he killed the last menos with Nanao before they ran over to his side.
"Don't worry Shunsui; Unohana's on her way," Byakuya said with a small smile to assure him; though it seemed mostly for himself.
Shunsui returned it shakily but then winced in pain; he looked at his student, whose lap was under his head. "I never… asked… Are you o-okay?" he asked.
Makoto smiled passed her tears. "Yes, yes I'm okay," she said.
"That's good," he told her with a smile before he winced again and then looked at Byakuya. "You think he's waiting for me?"
Byakuya's eyes widened slightly. "I'm sorry but you won't find out today," Byakuya said almost desperately.
"Who?" asked Makoto in confusion.
Shunsui smiled softly. "My Shiro-chan is waiting for me; I can tell," he replied and Makoto gasped, more tears falling.
"Please don't leave Shunsui-san," Rukia said as she gripped Ichigo's hand.
"I can't lose you," Nanao whispered with tears in her eyes and gripped his hand tighter.
"I can sense Unohana-taicho and Hanatarou-fukotaicho," Kenpachi murmured as he stared in the distance.
Yachiru had a curious expression as she walked away from Kenpachi's side, too tall to be carried anymore, and sat by Shunsui's head. She smiled and petted his hair, making him look at her and smile in return. Yachiru carefully closed his eyes with her head and kissed his forehead.
"Tell Sicky-taicho I said Konichiwa," she whispered by his ear.
"Thank you," Shunsui whispered, finally getting the permission he wanted to stop fighting.
Shunsui began to relax and his breath evened; he smiled slightly as he felt his heart slow. Shunsui as finally going to see his love; finally going to see his Jushiro Ukitake. Just as Unohana and Hanatarou arrived, Shunsui suffocated after he bled out in his lung; despite how, he died peacefully.
When Shunsui opened his eyes, there was nothing but white, suddenly, as though the world rotated, he was no longer laying down but standing. He looked at his chest, no hold, in fact he was wearing white robes and his zanpakuto was missing. The only thing that was the same was the pink kimono Jushiro had given. Shunsui looked up with slightly widened eyes.
'Jushiro…'
'Where are you?'
Shunsui's eyes moved to everywhere around him; there was still nothing, it was still all white. Behind Shunsui, which he didn't notice, a white portal opened and from it walked out a white figure. The figure was white because he was pale with white hair and was wearing white yukuta; the man was Jushiro Ukitake.
Jushiro smiled. "Shunsui," he lightly called.
Shunsui froze and then he grinned, turning. "Jushiro," he said softly, running over.
Jushiro's smile brightened and he tilted his head. "Hello Shunsui," he said.
At last, Shunsui met his lover and swung him around, deeply kissing him. Jushiro smiled into the kiss as he ran his fingers through his lover's hair, thoroughly lavishing the pleasure he hasn't had in centuries. Shunsui smiled as well, holding the man closer.
Finally, they pulled apart, but that was all they did as they continued to look into each other's eyes.
"I've missed you," Shunsui murmured, smiling.
Jushiro returned it. "And I as well," he replied and put himself down.
Jushiro grabbed his hand. "The others can't wait to meet you," he said happily.
Shunsui blinked. "Other's?" he asked.
Jushiro nodded, pulling the other man to walk with him. The landscape of nothing and white to an open field filled with wildflowers. There was a gentle wind, making the flowers sway and spreading a calm fragrance.
"Wow," Shunsui breathed.
Jushiro giggled. "This is heaven, or a part of it. All spirits come here in the end," Jushiro said.
Shunsui glanced at him. "And the others?" he asked.
Jushiro's face softened as he smiled whimsically. "My sons are here," he said, then looked at Shunsui. "My biological sons; now our sons."
Shunsui's eyes widened and he only had a chance to glance at his lover before he heard laughter. Familiar laughter.
Two silver haired boys wearing white yukuta and holding hands came running over. Jushiro laughed too, crouching down and catching them in a hug.
Shunsui chuckled, shaking his head. "Sogyo and Kotowari," he said.
Jushiro nodded while laughing. "Zanpakuto are put to rest as well," he informed.
"Oh is that so?" Shunsui teased, ruffling Kotowari's hair.
"Oi, tou-san."
Shunsui froze then looked up. "Katen… Kyokotsu…" he uttered.
Jushiro grinned, picking up his boys. "Let's go home Shun-kun," he said.
"Let's go tou-chan," the twins agreed in unison.
Shunsui looked the man and two boys then back at the girls. Shunsui gave a soft smile.
"Let's," he said, looping their arms together.
The four joined the girls, locked arms and shared smiles, then walked. Happy and at peace.