"How many drinks does that make for you now, Kurosaki?"
"Th-that's none of ya business, 'shida."
"Of course it isn't. I don't even know why I came…"
"Wellp! You're h-here, so drink!"
"No thank you, Kuosaki."
The orange head forcefully shoved a canned beer into the raven's hands. He just sighed and rolled his eyes, placing the can on the table beside him. They were standing in the kitchen of Keigo's house, for his parents aren't home and he decided it best to throw a party. Normally, Uryu wouldn't deny a free drink, but he can't drink in front of people from his school. He's Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes, he can't just be a party beast in front of their faces.
"You know, 'shida… I always did find ya like really hot…"
"Kurosaki, are you okay? I think you might have had to much to drink tonight."
"N-no, I'm goooood. I-I-I just have been meanin' to tell ya for awhile now…"
"You're drunk, you should go to bed. I'm going home, goodnight Kurosaki."
"C'mon, 'shida!"
"Goodnight."
Uryu left the drunken party and went back to his apartment. He went inside and had the only drink he would have tonight, while beginning an episode of Black Butler. He felt like a little bit of Bassy tonight.
Tomorrow's a school night, the idiots… They'll all have hangovers…
Tomorrow was a Monday, but, for once, Uryu was okay with that. In fact, he wished that it would stay Monday so that he could avoid the inevitable. He wasn't looking forward to Thursday.
He cleaned up his mess and went to his bedroom to sleep of the day.
Urahara, on the other hand, was up late working things through his brain. He couldn't sleep, too many things were happening in his life right now.
1.) He needed to find a solution to Ichigo's power problem.
2.) He needed to find out what was wrong enough to justify Uryu crying.
And the one he's most ashamed of…
3.) He needed to stop crushing on the teen!
He was so lost in thought, that he didn't realize Yoruichi was entering through the window in her human form.
"What's wrong, Kisuke?"
"Oh nothing, Yoruichi~ Just inventing a new version of soul pager≈"
"Are you sure? You can tell me anything, you know that right?"
"Don't be silly, I'm fine. I just… what progress has Soul Society made?"
"That's funny, I was going to ask you the same thing. Soul Society hasn't figured out much, even with Kurotsutchi's supposed 'genius'."
"I haven't made much progress either."
The two of them sorted through different files and worksheets, but came up blank. They went to bed around two the next morning. Yoruichi left at five with only three hours of sleep and no farewell from the still sleeping shop keeper. He was worn out and there was more on his mind that he refused to admit. If only she knew what it was, then she could solve that and he would be back to his old self again. He would find a solution in a snap, that's just how he is.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday passed with few distractions from Hollow's or other beings. Ichgio kept trying to get Uryu alone to confess his love, but Uryu wasn't having it. So, he avoided the powerless Shinigami (a little harsh…). Today was thursday, December 12, and as Urahara awoke, he realized that he had not yet figured out what was wrong with Uryu. While the shop keeper sat down to have some morning tea and eggs, Uryu woke without the sound of his alarm clock. He couldn't stay asleep, even when he removed all noise.
Today was the anniversary of his sensei's and mother's death, after all. He would call out today, Ryuken might give him hell about it, but he couldn't care less. This year had been full of mistake and regret. Choices weighed him down like a ton of bricks and he couldn't keep himself in check. He'll skip today, for when he looked out the window, looked out at the happy surroundings and the sun pouring generously down upon them, he couldn't take it. Shooting up from bed, he closed the blinds with a snap. Grabbing his phone off of the bed side table, he called the school's main office and told them that he was sick and couldn't attend today. They let him go without question, for they could hear the sorrow in his voice.
He raided his cabinets and fridge and grabbed any and all liquor he had. Underneath his bed, he pulled out a box containing two bracelets that latched on to his wrists and wouldn't release by force. Sitting up on his bed, he pulled his headphones on and the sounds of Fall Out Boy began to fill his ears at a high enough volume to make any other noise nonexistent. Cracking open the first can of strawberry soda, he downed it all in one sip. He went from can to can, until he finished what was left, then he drank the half bottle of tequila, then the almost empty white wine. By the time he began to drink the red wine, he was so strung out that he passed out.
A red wine bottle broke on the floor, spilling the liquid all over the hardwood. The last thing playing through Uryu's subconscious was the beginning of the next song on his MP3. This song meant a lot to him, even though he doesn't know why.
By the light of the moon
She rubs her eyes
Says it's funny how the night
Can make you blind
I can just imagine
And I don't know what I'm supposed to do
But if she feels bad then I do too
So I let her be
Today is their shared death date and the day Uryu left 'home'.
Urahara's ears perked up at the, ever so slight, fade in spiritual pressure. There were no Hollows and no (currently) active Soul Reapers. Something was controlling its power way beyond the normally desired limit, but it was something (or someone) he couldn't sense in the first place.
He has three choices, either…
A.) Label it as a new unknown threat.
B.) Label it as a personal threat from Ryuken… again.
C.) See what the little expert spiritual sensor felt. But than he remembered…
Uryu took today off.
