I'm so sorry this took so long! I've been busy with all sorts of things - finals, conventions, belt testing...aiyaa.
A quick answer to Wenduo's question: Thank you for bringing up the blood thing! I actually meant to mention that in the fic itself, but it completely slipped my mind. In the future I might go back and edit something in. For now, consider it an illusion of sorts. And thank you so much for reviewing every chapter thus far! You're the light of my writing life, dear.
Jushiro was a slow test taker. Jushiro was, like, the slowest test taker ever. The assessment they were taking was a kido quiz, of all things, and Jushiro was taking forever! He was great at kido, so what was the hold up? Shunsui had finished before him - hell, even some of the worst students in the class had finished before him!
Obviously it was time to take matters into his own hands.
Slowly, and with incredible care, the scraggly-haired student reached out to his friend. He grew closer and closer until his finger met with Jushiro's shoulder. The shinigami-in-training immediately startled, practically jumping out of his chair before turning to Shunsui with a glare that could strike fear into the hearts of even the strongest men. But not Shunsui, he only shot a bright grin towards his friend.
"Wow, Jushiro. You're awfully jumpy today, huh?"
His friend's eyes only narrowed further. "I was concentrating, Shunsui."
"I'm bored," Shunsui whined softly. He made sure to keep his voice at a whisper, though. "Why are you always so slow? You're great at kido, this should be nothin'!"
"I'm taking my time. Don't tell me you've already finished?"
"I finished in around five minutes."
"What- You-" Jushiro stared incredulously at his friend. "How?"
Shunsui only shrugged. "What can I say? I'm gifted."
His pale friend only buried his face in his hands. "I cannot believe you…"
"Hush, Jushiro. If Tsukuda-sensei hears you he's gonna kick us both out."
"You're the one who started talking to me!" He whispered sharply.
"You're the one who answered," Shunsui retorted, utterly relaxed - he was the exact opposite of his friend, really. Jushiro only sighed and returned to the quiz, choosing to ignore his friend for the time being.
It didn't take long for Shunsui to start bugging him once again. Jushiro found himself growing steadily more irritated by his friend's antics - his love for poking his side, in particular.
"Can you not wait just a few more minutes?"
"You're taking too long," Shunsui muttered. "Seriously, 'Shiro, a simple kido quiz shouldn't take this long."
"I'm taking my time! If you bother me one more time, I swear I'll-"
"-Uh, Jushiro, you..."
"Don't interrupt me, please!"
"...You're talking really loud. Like, so loud that sensei has heard you."
"...Oh."
"I, for one, plan to blame this on you."
Jushiro stared incredulously at his friend. "Me? This is your fault, Shunsui!"
"Maybe so. But if I go down, I'm taking you with me."
"Both of you may kindly remove yourselves from my classroom," Commanded a booming voice from the head of the room. Immediately, all heads turned to Shunsui and Jushiro.
"Well? What are you waiting for?"
Their sensei's threatening tone was more than enough to spur the two students into action. Shunsui was the first to stand up with Jushiro following quickly after him, and as they walked, Shunsui caught sight of his friend passing his test over to the teacher.
-Wait, was he finished?
Shunsui stepped out into the hallway with Jushiro following close behind. The moment the sliding door was closed, he reached out to grasp his friend's thin shoulders.
"You mean you were done the whole time!?"
Jushiro only smiled and shrugged.
"I wouldn't say that, exactly. I was looking over my answers."
"For how long?"
"Oh, I don't know...I recall finishing around the same time as you."
"You have got to be kidding me! Were you just trying to torture me? I was so bored!" Shunsui shook his friend, a desperate look on his face, one that Jushiro found to be rather silly. He was making this out to be a much bigger deal than it really was.
"You'll live," he answered with a smile.
"Aah, you have no sympathy! No pity! You're a cruel man, Ukitake Jushiro!"
"I know, I know. I'm terrible. Now, how are you going to take responsibility for getting me in trouble, Kyoraku Shunsui?"
"Getting you in trouble? You're the one who suddenly started shouting!"
"Because you were bugging me!"
"You're being so mean today, Jushiro. Can't we just be mature and forget about all of this?"
"You're only saying that because you know I'm right!" Jushiro crossed his arms, looking more than a little peeved. "If you don't do something, he's going to fail us both!"
"Talk to Tsukuda-sensei," demanded the white-haired student crossly. "Or...or...I don't know! I won't forgive you!"
Jushiro was halfway down the hallway before Shunsui could get a word in edgewise. His friend rarely got mad like this, so he supposed he would have to try extra hard to make it up to him. But what to do…?
Well, there was only one thing he really could do.
Later that evening, Shunsui would find his friend sulking in the academy yard. It hadn't been too difficult to find the grumpy guy - Jushiro was a surprisingly predictable person, at times. Whenever he was angry he would go to the nearest place that was peaceful and had a lot of trees. In this case, it was the Shino'o Academy courtyard. There were lots of trees to sit under the pleasant shade of, and that was exactly where he found Jushiro the moment he exited the building into the darkening outdoors.
"Yo, 'Shiro!" He greeted, waving erratically. He didn't doubt that his friend was still angry with him, but he was content to ignore that little fact for the time being.
"Ah...Shunsui."
Yep, Jushiro was definitely still mad. But Shunsui wasn't worried - not in the slightest. He had prepared himself.
"So," he began as he took a seat next to his green-eyed companion. "Y'know how I'm your best friend?"
All he got was a quiet "Hm,". Jushiro was hardly even looking at him, let alone listening! Well, he would just have to escalate his little speech, then!
"Well, since I'm such a great best friend, I talked to Tsukuda-sensei after classes were done. He said he wouldn't dock you any points or anything."
"Oh...good." Jushiro gave a small nod. He hadn't been totally forgiven, but he was making definite progress. Now he just had to take 'er home. But what else could he offer to gain his friend's forgiveness?
"...And I'll do your homework for a week?"
"Make it two weeks."
"Two weeks it is!"
After a moment of deliberation, Jushiro turned to his friend with a gentle smile.
"You are forgiven."
Ecstatic, Shunsui wrapped his arms around the man.
"I knew you would forgive me! It's because of my incredible charm, right? My ruggedly handsome face? That's what it is, isn't it!?"
Jushiro chuckled. "Maybe so. Or maybe because you're...well, such a great best friend."
The sincerity of his words took a few moments to sink in. Shunsui found his eyes widening and his grin spreading.
"Aw, 'Shiro! You're so cute! I think you're a great best friend too!"
Jushiro would find himself being crushed in a hug once again. As he wrapped his arms around Shunsui in a much gentler reciprocation, he realized something.
There was no place he would have rather been at that very moment than in Shunsui's arms.