TITLE: His Choice
AUTHOR: Simply Kim
PART: One of Two
WORD COUNT: 1,788
CHARACTERS: Ishida Ryuuken, Urahara Kisuke, Kurosaki Isshin, Kurosaki Ichigo, Ishida Uryuu, Shihouin Yoruichi
PAIRING/S: Slight Urahara Kisuke x Ishida Ryuuken and Kurosaki Ichigo x Ishida Uryuu
GENRE: Alternate Universe/Angst
DISCLAIMER/S: I'd love to have the creativity and talent Kubo Tite does. Unfortunately, I don't, so I don't own any of these characters or the series... just this story.
NOTE#1: This is a companion fic to "His Crime". I just had to write this so that the idea wouldn't drive me crazy. X3
NOTE#2:Blah or Blah is for emphasis. /Blah/is for conversations over the phone or flashbacks (if any). /Blah/ is for the conscience or whatever inner voice there is talking. Blah is for thoughts or random Japanese words. Some of these words are footnoted at the end of every page (I'm beginning to understand the need for footnotes in fiction. Thank you dear friend, you know who you are. XD).
NOTE#3: The Bounto Arc didn't happen. The past scenes here are heavily manga-based.
HIS CHOICE
I'm not feeling guilty for opening the letter before I gave it to Uryuu. He rationalised.
It didn't have a return address and it looked really suspicious. Who knew if there was some sort of miniature hollow in there?
Of course he knew whom the letter came from and where it originated. The uneven and slightly hurried scrawl was a dead giveaway.
He sighed. Somehow, they had been found out.
/Uryuu/ It said.
/I acknowledge you, that's why I accepted. I realise that now. We are like magnets. Facing one side, we repel, but facing the other we connect. When creating the same thing we scratch each other like crazy – to the point of drawing blood... but complementing each other, there is a surprising promise of peace.
Idiot. It took a heck of a long time and a bunch of connections to help me with this, you pansy-ass.
Open your window tonight. I have finally found you. /
Who wouldn't be touched by such gesture? Ishida Ryuuken thought as he made his way to his room after dinner. You and Kisuke say otherwise, but Isshin, you are most definitely the same as your son.
Stepping inside, he sighed, stared at the picture frame at the far end of the room from where he stood, eyes softening at the sight of his then infant son and his late wife smiling happily at the camera.
"Kisuke, you may know almost everything, but this time you are wrong. I do not regret my choice." He murmured wistfully. "In fact, even if my son and I didn't reconcile, even if he hated me all his life, I am glad I have made it." With slow, searching steps, he moved towards the photograph, and in a few moments, his hands were reaching out and grasping the glass frame. He clutched at it, favouring it with a lasting smile before holding it to his heart, as someone would do to something cherished. "The only thing I regret... is that I didn't make it sooner."
He closed his eyes, in pain.
If I hadn't the heart to choose otherwise –
Kisuke...
OxxxOxxxO
It seemed that the peace he had been living in was about to disintegrate once again. If not for that letter, he should still be living with his son in their Provence villa. Now they were obliged to go back to Japan. Halfway around the world and still hunted down by Shinigami, what a life to live.
He frowned, glancing at his son sleeping beside him, comfortable on the airplane seat. If only Uryuu didn't get too close to Isshin's boy, they wouldn't have problems – at all. Well, if Isshin hadn't been so adamant to stay near him as much as possible, Ryuuken thought, he wouldn't have any problem at all.
Because even though Isshin was a former official in the Gotei 13, fact remained that he was very loyal to his friend. And when said friend asked him a huge favour, he would surely comply.
Damn Urahara.
With a derisive snort, he turned back to the window, watching as the clouds rolled by. Even his disdain didn't hamper his friendship with the two men before... when the debacle was not yet in action. Maybe it was because they represented things he hoped he could have but couldn't. Urahara had his relaxed character, and Isshin had his passion.
He on the other hand, only had his Quincy pride.
Thinking about it now, Ryuuken knew it was only a matter of time that everything he had would be taken away by them. First, Yamagata-san's daughter who was supposed to be his girlfriend was stolen away by Isshin. And then, when he was virtually heartbroken, he had managed to...
A sudden image of Urahara and his teasing grin popped up in his mind, irritated, he immediately stomped it away.
No use dwelling in the past.
All he had to do now was take care of Uryuu and make it so as to help him avoid the heartache he had suffered a million times over... and make better choices than he had when he was just as young.
OxxxOxxxO
"Your father doesn't like me much, does he?"
Ishida Ryuuken's ears pricked as he heard the unmistakeable voice of Kurosaki Ichigo. He frowned, trying to ignore their conversation in the living room. It wasn't as if he was eavesdropping. He... just had two perfectly functioning ears, so he couldn't help but listen.
Frowning, his eyes scanned the headlines for the umpteenth time, seeing the letters but his mind never registered their meaning.
"It's not like that, I think." Ishida Uryuu responded with a tremor in his voice that betrayed his amusement. "Recently he's being very attentive. I guess he's just looking out for me."
"Geh. Why now of all times? He left you alone for a long time and now he's prying into your life." Ichigo sighed.
Ryuuken frowned. Who made you an expert? Came the nasty thought.
It was his son's response that surprised him. "I used to hold him in much contempt before, but you know, somehow, I understand why he did all that."
"Really now."
"Yeah. He's a very kind father."
The sound of Ichigo's pent-up breath sounded and suddenly, came the surprised noise from his son. Ryuuken gritted his teeth and brusquely snapped the newspaper he held in his hands. The sudden sound made its impact and soon enough, he could almost feel the embarrassment emanating from where the two young men were.
Take that, Shinigami.
OxxxOxxxO
Uryuu may spend his entire lifetime hiding the truth from him, but fate had other ideas.
Eyes widening, he immediately came to his senses as what he was seeing registered completely in his mind. With a purposeful move, he shut his son's door tightly and leant against it for a while, trying to compose himself. When he felt like he could stand up without falling over, he straightened and wandered away.
There was dread in the pit of his stomach as memories of his past came back full force. He had been in the same pits of insanity before, and now, his son was being immersed in it as well – though presently through different circumstances.
The image of long lithe limbs intertwined damply entered his mind and he silently willed it away. No. This was very different. This time, his son was in better, loyal, and caring hands... or was he? Didn't he have some sort of fling with that Shinigami girl before... Kuchiki Rukia? If his stupid source – one that came with an equally stupid sword masquerading as a cane and outmoded striped hat – was correct, he had every right to be nervous.
He took a deep breath and strengthened his resolve – he needed to have a talk with Kurosaki Ichigo.
For now, while the two wrapped up whatever they were doing, he was going to have some scotch.
He needed it.
However, even before he moved to where the cellar was, a sharp ringing entered his ears. Wincing as the familiar call sounded only in his ears, he stomped to the living room to find none other than the one whom he wanted to avoid at all costs – he even brought a friend.
Ryuuken frowned. "Don't you two ever use the front door?"
"Only when necessary." Came the airy response. "You look pale – you okay?"
The older Ishida pushed his glasses further up his nose in a gesture of irritation. "You don't know the meaning of necessary, you pervert." He growled. "And no, I'm not okay..." He turned to the other man. "Your son is in Uryuu's room."
"Ah, so they're talking now." Kurosaki Isshin gave him a self-satisfactory grin and wiggled his brows. "I told you our kids are going to be friends one day!"
"They're not talking you stupid excuse for a doctor, they're –"
"Anyway," Urahara Kisuke cut in with a cough. "We came to welcome you back to Karakura." He gave a small wave of his fan. "It's nice to have you and you son –"
"In your clutches." Ryuuken finished for him bluntly. "And we have been here for weeks, so you shouldn't have dragged yourselves here, both of you. Now please leave."
Urahara took off his hat and gave him a level gaze. "Why are you still acting this way? I thought we talked about everything that concerns the three of us before? Is your grudge that deep that you can't ever forgive, Ryuuken?"
"Urahara-san, I am entitled to my own emotions. Whether I forgive or not is entirely up to me."
"Ryuuken, that may be so, but don't you think that is too cruel?"
"That was my line before, wasn't it?" Ryuuken interjected softly, his eyes softening as memories of the past assaulted him. Slowly, he blinked. "Please, for the sake of all three of us, stop popping in whenever you feel like it. Be considerate for once, Urahara-san, Isshin."
There was a long moment of silence before Kurosaki Isshin chuckled dryly. "I don't know what happened between you two, but I've always known you would never forgive me for everything that I did."
Ryuuken gave him a humourless smile in return. "That isn't quite right, Isshin." His voice was quiet, his words stilted. "I always forgive."
"But you never forget." Urahara murmured.
He nodded and echoed. "But I never forget."
The blonde hung his head for a while, deep in thought before looking up at him and offering a hesitant smile. "I guess that goes for me too huh?"
He gazed at him ruefully. "No."
"No?"
"I have forgiven you a long time ago... but I have also chosen to forget the past."
Urahara's eyes sharpened with something akin to hurt, and then as if like lighting, it flashed and was gone. "Another of your choices."
"Yes."
"You lie."
Ryuuken gave him an empty smile and turned away. "Please leave, both of you. I need to rest."
At that point, he didn't care anymore. He was tired, and there was a dull throbbing in his head.
It looked like he didn't need a shot of scotch at all.
OxxxOxxxO
With those two, he could never really win.
Ryuuken lay down; trying to relax his head on the fluffy pillow Uryuu sewed himself as a 'welcome home' gift for him.
It had been twenty years... twenty long years since everything started. Twenty years of bearing the pain of the consequences his choices fashioned... twenty years, each year more difficult than the last.
Chuckling darkly, he stared, gaze unfocused, at the dim space where he knew the ceiling light was.
Everything would have been perfect... He thought idly, closing his eyes.
If only...
TSUZUKU
A/N: Feedbacks are my staple. Feed me. XDDD