My life is falling apart. But anyway, update!

Nice to Meet You (Again)

by

Raining Sky Guy


"What were you thinking, Tessai?" Kisuke asked his friend, as soon as the faint signal of their guest signaled that its owner had fallen asleep. The blond man had sought him out knowing he would not be sleeping. Tessai was in the lab, reading over his latest report. He grimly saw his friend sigh sadly, before turning to look at him.

"I'm just trying to look out for you, manager. This behavior of yours is not healthy. " He said like every word hurt him (more than Kisuke).

"What behavior exactly?" Kisuke asked in a clipped tone as he crashed onto the first chair he came across, not bothering with the stacks of paper he upset.

"I apologize for my rudeness but you never did get over Ichigo." Tessai mumbled, hands wrinkling the report. "You closed yourself off completely. And I know you are doing better than before, we all do. But… I don't like your sudden attachment to this Human."

Kisuke tilted his hat down. "Which is it? You want me to open up or not? Or is it that Humans are beneath us again?"

"You know that is not it. It is unseemly for you to accuse me of such." Tessai replied looking even more like Kisuke was just a person on his deathbed or something. Like he was pitiful. "But manager, we don't even know if he's not a spy, and you seem to be getting romantically involved."

Kisuke froze. "So what if I am? You are right, I never got over Ichigo's death. That was over five years ago. Don't you think it's time for me to look forward again? Why are you so against it?"

Tessai rubbed his face. "If it were someone we knew and trusted, it would be alright. If it was… if it were your honest feelings, then I would not protest. But this…"

"I know he's not trustworthy. But I am trying to figure out who he really is. I'm not so stupid as to emotionally invest myself into some stranger, who at most is nothing but a casual fling. I thought that was obvious."

"When you were having coffee this morning, it did not appear so." Tessai shot back, trying to make his friend see sense. He stepped even closer. " Kisuke, he's not even from this town. He'll be gone in a few days and it won't matter who he is because we won't see him again. He'll forget you, Kisuke and if you try to get attached to him you'll be the one heart-broken."

"I never meant to get emotionally attached, let that be clear. Takahashi is nothing more than a distraction, on that front you won't have to worry." Kisuke said in a sudden icy tone, his eyes like steel piercing right through the other. That said, he turned and left and Tessai couldn't help but wonder if that actually was just worse.


He had no doubts his boyfriend was a genius. He had been told of how he had founded the R&D sector in the Twelfth Division, of some of his own inventions, of how he came to create them, and how he had helped people with them. Of that he had no doubt.

But.

He knew he could be so unbelievably dense it wasn't anything but endearing. From forgetting the date, his breakfast, his coffee and his own name, down to forgetting to dress up for a date or forgetting where they were supposed to go even If he had been the one to invite Ichigo out. But never did he miss a single date of his. Never did he forget what Ichigo meant to him.

And for every little thing he forgot, and made Ichigo compensate for, he made it up simply with his eyes. Kisuke would stare at him with so much adoration in his eyes, Ichigo could forgive him anything.

For every time Ichigo had to knock like a madman once his boyfriend had gone AWOL for over a month, until the sleep-deprived, food-deprived shell of a human being could open the door, Kisuke would take him out for a day out in the field, with food a-plenty for them to spend a couple days away from the world, with just each other as company and Ichigo would have him all to himself.

It made Ichigo feel wanted, loved. Like he was the only man in the world.

His stare made him feel like the most important person in the world.

His stare…

Made Rin feel uncomfortable, unwelcome and sad because he had meant to leave this forsaken place long ago, but it had been Kisuke who had insisted him on staying. Rin really really should have not surrendered to the ash-eyed man.

Rin smiled awkwardly at Tessai when their eyes met as Rin tried not focusing on this stranger not stranger.

"So…" He began, trying not to pay attention to the clog in his throat. "Nice weather we're having, huh?"

"Yes, quite." Tessai replied for both of them. There was silence again.

"Perfect for…" Kisuke began, still eerily staring at him. Rin grimaced. He was so sure he would say something along the lines of 'for Takahashi -san to finally go home' that he was honestly surprised when the man said, "picking up your things from the hotel room."

"I-what?" Rin squawked taken by surprise, not understanding why their eyes sharpened, suspicious.

"You had told me you had things left at your hotel, hadn't you? Or am I wrong?" The shopkeeper smiled genially, deceit in every gesture.

"No, I… you're right. I just… seem to have forgotten. Damn, I sure hope they haven't stolen anything…" The businessman trailed off, acutely aware that he was still dressed in borrowed clothes and his one suit had been damaged beyond repair (the dry cleaner's would have the last word). "Not like I had anything of much value there." He laughed awkwardly.

"Well, I suppose you'd like to get it back, regardless?"

Takahashi sighed. "I better…" he trailed off upon remembering of all those notes he had written, of all the papers strewn across the floor as he tried piecing Ichigo's identity and visibly hesitated. "Damn, I have to go back, like right now."

"Is there something wrong, Takahashi-san?" Kisuke smiled at him, deceptively warm. Tessai stared at him before huffing in apparent disappointment and deciding to return to his previous chores, keeping an ear out for the conversation.

The man babbled, trying to get his neurons to activate, "I-uh, well, I sort of left a big mess. I was just remembering."

"Oh, probably the cleaning service wouldn't be too happy."

Takahashi paled. "Oh, right." He knew that if anyone had entered his room and seen the papers they'd assume he either was a stalker or something worse.

Rin was starting to doubt returning to the hotel was a good idea.

As he stared at the weirdly eager shopkeeper beckoning him to get ready to get his things back, Rin knew he had no real choice.


The man ran a hand through his brown hair, trying not to show much relief that the Rin from the past had been smart enough to put the 'Do not disturb' sign over his door. That would stop the cleaning service. Kisuke however…

"Do you have the key with you?" The shopkeeper asked him, genial smile in place as he stood just behind him.

"I hope so." Rin replied vaguely, checking his pockets as he tried to figure out what to do with the man. Shortly of knocking him out (not like he had any experience on this whatsoever), he didn't know how to avoid the inevitable. He brushed against the card key several times but still he pretended he couldn't find it as the seconds ticked by slowly. "Um, maybe I forgot it?" He finally said, sounding strangely winded.

"Oh? So what should we do?"

"I suppose we'll have to go to the reception room. Ah, man. You can go back ahead of me, if you'd like, I'm not sure how long this will take." Rin said, high-fiving himself for his quick thinking. But his dreams were squandered by Kisuke's,

"It's alright, I don't mind. Tessai can handle the store while I'm gone."

Damn it.

"Alright then, come on." Rin said in defeat, cringing at wondering how much more money he would spend on this little trip to nowhere. Kisuke smiled at him with eyes closed already following, when he stopped so abruptly Rin looked at him weirdly. "Kisuke?" He asked, looking as the man looked at something standing between them, that Rin couldn't see.

The man ignored him as he focused on the invisible presence, nodding almost imperceptibly before sighing in apparent irritation. Without looking at him, the blond turned around and headed for the stairs without him.

"I'm sorry, Takahashi-san I forgot I was waiting for someone, and she will murder me if I'm not there right now." Is all he said before he high-tailed out of there. He had noticed how Takahashi had been completely oblivious to the Shinigami form of Yoruichi, but had entirely missed how Rin's pale hands were trembling.

Rin stood frozen to the spot, afraid of looking up even if he hadn't been able to see whoever–or whatever– had been standing between them. Was it still there? Was it gone? Was it alright to move? He inhaled sharply as he suddenly felt being stared at. He chanced a look and he felt… frustration at seeing no one there.

The word Shinigami and ghosts swam around in his mind, but Rin had no idea how to proceed, or if to believe the insanity of his dreams. For now, the man crossed his arms over his chest, prayed he wouldn't bump into anything invisible and –sticking to the walls– the man decided to head to reception for a moment. Hopefully, the presence would be gone when he returned.

What was he getting himself into?

(Could everything be true?)


Three hours later, after theatrically finding the cardkey in his back pocket, the man avoided any extra costs and returned to his room. He was nervous but at least he couldn't feel any presence glaring daggers at him. He still made sure not to open his door more than absolutely necessary and just hoped it had been a Shinigami and not a ghost and couldn't pass through physical objects.

Shinigami, ghosts. He was cracking down on insanity. He wouldn't be surprised if next he started believing in angels or something.

The man was quick to pick up all the scattered paper, handling as if it were contaminated samples, and manually shredding them all to tiny confetti pieces. Once done, he flushed half down the toilet and dumped the other half in scattered bunches in all the trashcans he came across.

There.

That would have to do.

Rin stared at his reflection on the mirror of the room. He looked tired, and older and just like he had been since he could remember. Rin, not Ichigo.

What had he gotten himself into?

Rin was seriously considering checking out of his hotel and grabbing the next train back to his hometown, concussion be damned but before he could so much as grab his things, there was a soft knock on his door.

"Takahashi-san? Are you in there?"

Rin covered his face with his hands briefly to stifle a sigh. Of course Kisuke was back.

He did not want to speak to him.

"I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly. I forgot I was expecting guests." The muffled voice sounded cheerful and light-hearted. The total opposite of how Rin was feeling.

Well, at least this was his perfect excuse to pick his remaining things up and move everything back into the hotel room and once everyone stopped paying attention to him, then he could grab the train.

The man forced himself to stand up, smile, and open the door.

"Perfect timing, do you think I could pick up my things from your place?"


Rin had been bent of picking his things and vowing to never returning to Karakura, but he had been unable to leave immediately by the way grey eyes looked at him. Pleading.

To whom?

He was not Ichigo.

And Rin was no fool to think he was anything but boring.

Rin had felt the need to inform the other that he was leaving the day after and of course, he was forced to have a last cup of coffee in the shoten. The man assured him that his guests were out with Tessai and Rin really had no way to prove him otherwise.

"Is everything alright?" Kisuke finally asked after some bland senseless conversation that Rin didn't even remember.

"What? Of course, nothing's wrong." Rin replied, eyebrow raised. Hands cupped around his cold cup of tea. He had been zoning out all the while, and just waiting for the moment he could finally bid this stranger-not-stranger a final goodbye and return home.

"Really? You are looking a little… melancholic."

"It's really alright Ki-" Rin froze, cursing in his mind his stupid slip-up. He was trying to figure out a way to fix his mistake when the other slid up even closer to him, a hand on his chin.

"Oh? I didn't know you wanted to call me by my first name." He said in an amused voice, unabashedly stroking his stubbly chin with deft fingers.

"I-no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" Rin stammered, flustered by the sudden proximity and doing his best to edge away as best as possible.

"I don't mind… Rin."

Rin couldn't help the ugly blush that decided to crawl up his face. Kisuke laughed at him softly, eyes never leaving his.

"I-no, you got it all wrong!"

"Really? Do you not want me to call you Rin?" The damned man added a slight pout, hand sliding up to cradle his cheek.

Rin made a pathetic sound at the back of his throat, unable to answer or look him in the eye.

Kisuke drew even closer. "Aren't you cute, Rin?"

"No, I'm not, just- stop-" Rin mumbled weakly, not sure if unable or unwilling to move away. It did not help that the memories of Ichigo were once again, threatening to spill and devour Rin.

"I might, if you call me Kisuke."

"Uh-what, no- what are you doing?" He felt the need to ask as Kisuke didn't stop drawing even closer until they were practically sharing breathing space.

"What does it look like?"

"Stop," Rin mumbled weakly, not sure how to interpret the situation. He closed his eyes and tried to push him away. "Stop, please…. Kisuke."

"Do you really want me to stop?" Is all Rin remembers hearing before they are kissing.


They kiss and they kiss, and time becomes kisses, their kisses become seconds. It starts soft, as if two unsure teenagers, but soon enough their lips were bruising with one another as a sense of desperation filled them both.

But when the cold metal of his undone belt touched the feverish skin of his stomach, Rin comes to and sudden, irrational fear grips him. He notices they're not in the kitchen but probably in Kisuke's room, making out on his bed.

"No, no… Please, I'm sorry. I can't do this. I can't do this, Kisuke. Please." He mumbled, hands releasing Kisuke's waist to come up to cover his face. Mortified at rejecting the other so into the- whatever this was, he couldn't bear to look at the other.

"Don't apologize, it's alright." Kisuke answered, sounding winded and Rin mentally apologized because he knew first-hand how much blue balls sucked. The warmth immediately left Rin as the other man retreated. "I apologize if I was forcing you in any way."

"No! I mean- no of course not, It's just… I'm not sure if this is correct." Rin's throat closed for a moment as Kisuke looked hurt again, but he wasn't going to budge on this. Rin looked down. "I'm sorry, I'll be leaving." He began fastening his belt again, fixing his attire and hesitated at the sight of the disheveled, pink-lipped Kisuke still sprawled on the bed, enticingly.

"I would never look at anyone else besides Ichigo!"

The words bounced inside his skull, setting his decision on stone. Rin was not Ichigo, he had no business messing around with his boyfriend. What he was feeling was probably fake anyway. And it didn't look like Kisuke knew that Rin had his ex-lover's memories or whatever, and it was probably best to leave it at that.

"I'm… I'm leaving. Thank you very much for your kind hospitality, Urahara-san." Rin said in a hushed tone, edging away from him. Kisuke finally picked himself up, tossing his shirt on haphazardly and staring at him in silence.

"Just like that?"

Rin's eyebrows scrunched up. "It's not like you were serious." That was not exactly what he had meant to say, but it worked either way. Kisuke looked away from him, giving in too easily. Rin didn't know what he was expecting but he still was hurt.

He left the shop.


The IT technician stood in front of the headstone he hadn't noticed before, stomach churning quite painfully. Besides Kurosaki Masaki, there stood white as death one engraved with the forsaken name.

In loving memory of,

Kurosaki Ichigo

May he finally find peace.

He knew who had proposed the epithet. Kisuke had sworn to Ichigo so many times, that once the war was over he would take it upon himself to give Ichigo the peaceful life he deserved. Not a boring life, simply, not danger-ridden. Something Ichigo had been craving for ever since he could recall.

Tears sprung up in his eyes, and the brunet couldn't help but fall on his knees, clutching at the stone, upsetting several gifts and flowers that someone had deposited there. "Who are you?" He sobbed, tired and confused as to why he had memories of Ichigo. Feelings of Ichigo. Why his brain insisted on acting like he had?

"Who are you?" He cried out again, alone and afraid with the thought of 'how are we related?' running amok in his mind. "Why do you keep haunting me? You are dead! You died! Leave me alone!"

Pathetic. He was just an old man blaming a dead teenager for delusions of his own brain.

But what was the meaning of this? Why did he kept having memories, flashbacks of someone he hadn't even known? Why had he dreamt of his life?

"What is the meaning of this? When are you going to leave me alone?"

As expected no one answered.

Rin readjusted his clothes to his best capacity. He wiped his face and walked around until his breathing evened out and his bloodshot eyes had returned to a more normal color.

He bought a ticket back. He boarded the train and just as the doors were closing behind him, he thought he could feel a set of eyes staring at him, but when he turned around there was no one there.


He slowly eased back into his usual routine, hanging out less and focusing more in his job. Since this was reality, nothing changed, his friends started inviting him less and he didn't get so much as a raise. His world started revolving around bright screens, ergonomic mousepads, overtime, takeout food and staring at the tv until he passed out into a dreamless slumber.

Anything to keep Ichigo at bay.

He was not going to get his hopes up again over such nonsense. And since it was nonsense anyway, he supposed it would be better if he just stopped digging into it.

But of course, when had life ever liked him?

A month after his sudden return from Karakura, he was manhandled into going to see a boxing match by one of his coworkers and friends. He knew she was a sports fanatic, but he had been surprised she even liked boxing.

And so, later into the night while he went with her to meet the boxers, his eyes fell on the champion dubbed as 'El Diablo'. Memories assailed him without his consent, of friendship, of bonds, of a promise to protect each other, of pain, of difference in strength and concern and Rin found himself mumbling,

"…Chad?"

The massive heavy-weight champion turned away from the paparazzi to lock onto his person with fearsome intensity. Rin flinched away, mumbling an apology and turning to leave at a hurried pace. He didn't go very far when a big, heavy hand landed on his shoulder so abruptly that Rin almost toppled backwards mid-step. Already fearing who it was who had grabbed him, the man slowly turned his neck to look behind… and upwards at 'El Diablo' in the flesh.

"May… I… help… you?" Rin mumbled, rather dismayed. Fierce eyes stared at him, undisturbed.

"Where did you hear that name?" The massive man asked without preamble, and Rin could only try to make a last-ditch attempt to get out of the situation.

"Uh… Which name?"

El Diablo frowned, not speaking further and Rin knew he had no other choice.

"Um, well, I'm sorry if I offended you, I-?" Rin tried, jumping as the boxer suddenly leaned in closer to him, scanning his features with scary concentration.

Yasutora opened his mouth to say something when he noticed the growing crowd around them (as well as the excited coworker of Rin's). Stoic as ever he left an iron-like grip on Rin as he addressed his fans with a curt but not ill spirited farewell. That dealt with, El Diablo and Rin walked into the former's camper.

Rin spared a moment to apologize to his mother for dying before his time.


Chad was the last to enter, closing the door, plunging the inside of the vehicle into darkness for a moment as the boxer tried to find the lights.

"Would you like to sit down?" The broad man asked as he walked past Rin and headed towards the small dining table. Rin stuttered out a denial as he tried to edge towards the door, trying to remember if the door swung inwards or outwards.

Chad either didn't notice or didn't care, as he stood over the table staring at it in silence. He seemed to debate with himself over something before finally letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry if I'm wrong but… What's your name?"

"Ta-Takahashi… Rin."

Chad's eyes widened almost comically, head spinning to stare at him as he gave half a step towards him,

"…Ichigo?"

To be continued


AN.

First cliffhanger of this story, enjoy it lmao.

Summary of the chapter: Rin is going crazy, Kisuke was a douche and Tessai is just worried for his friend.

The story is going somewhere!

Next update is going to take longer because I really don't have much content ready and well... it's not the best moment for me.

Lemme know what do you think is going to happen! Who is Rin exactly? What would you like to see in the story?