outside his vision
3. salty secrets
Yuzu and Karin coms home. And they bring answers with them – or they're the consequence of those answers. Either way, Kazui finally has a working explanation about why he'd been ignored so long: by the passerbys in the street, and by the receptionist as well. Yuzu, likewise, can't seem to see him, but Karin can.
In in his time, Yuzu can't see spirits. Somehow that gene skipped over her, but she doesn't seem to mind it. She tries her best to guess where he'll be, anyway, and smiles and lays out his spot for dinner – but what is surprising is when Ichigo comes home once everything's been put away and flat-out ignores him.
He's hurt at that. Hurt and confused. Ichigo is a substitute Shinigami, after all. Of course he can see spirits. His father and one of his little sisters can see spirits, and can see him. So why does Ichigo just ignore him?
He wants to go bang on his father's door (odd to think it's not his aunt Karin's room anymore – or right then) and scream but he doesn't. He doesn't know why he doesn't. He stares after him anyway, as he climbs the stairs and disappears.
'Sorry about that,' his younger grandfather murmurs from behind him. 'I suppose we should have mentioned it, but I wasn't sure if…' His voice trails.
Kazui thinks he can guess now, but he doesn't remember anyone having mentioned this before. 'He lost his powers?'
'After the fight with Aizen.' Isshin shrugs. 'Who knows if he lost them or just used them up. Or maybe it's because… Well, I don't know if that's a topic for right now.'
Kazui frowns. He's been pretty open about things, even with the whole potentially changing the future thing. He doesn't see the harm, at all, of telling him about the past. Or maybe it's like his parents sometimes say: that he's too young – even though he roams around Soul Society on his own.
Okay, technically he's not supposed to roam around Soul Society on his own. He's especially not allowed into all the places he gets into but his father's usually quite busy when they go and his mother stays there, and usually Ichika's parents too so the pair of them are left to find mischief together.
They've even met Aizen a few times, but it might not be a good idea to mention that.
He also doesn't feel like mentioning it right now.
'Well,' he says instead. 'I'm a human boy whose dad is a substitute Shinigami in my time, so...'
The man laughs. 'Smartass,' he says fondly. And huh, Kazui thinks, so he's old enough for swear words (of the tame variety, at least) but not for facts that would actually be useful to know.
And now they're both keeping secrets, apparently. That's not going to help him. But what other options does he have? He doesn't know where his mother is in this time period. He doesn't know how he got here (or got to Karakura in the past, anyway; he knows how he got to the surgery) and Urahara isn't exactly the most pleasant of people to seek out after dinner.
'You can bunk with me,' Isshin offers. At least he's thought of that. 'Or with Ichigo if you prefer, but he won't sense your presence, I'm afraid, so that might be worse. Or there's the couch or one of the rooms in the surgery if you'd prefer your own space.'
'Surgery,' Kazui replies, after some thought. Far enough from the Kurosaki family that he can wander if he wants to without disturbing the two who can see him, and he won't run the risk of running into his father again either. And the receptionist can't see him, so he doesn't have to worry about getting caught if he oversleeps, or anything like that.
Maybe something will come with the morning. An idea or some help… or some answers from people who can give them.