outside his vision
6. an incomplete inquisition

He's found his mother, at least, in that collection of people on the roof. And everybody else is familiar as well. All friends of his parents. Including Itsuka's parents.

Everybody but Ichigo. He's there instead.

'Who's the kid?' Itsuka's father asks, and nobody looks around, wondering which kid he's talking about.

So they can all see him still. It's just his father that can't.

'Hey, there's no need to cry.' And his mother is suddenly right in front of him, dabbing at tears he hadn't even realised were there. 'Some of them might look a little scary, but we're all nice.'

'I know.' Then he laughs. 'I know, 'kaa-san. You invite them over every week. But they don't always come.'

Someone makes a choking sound and he thinks: whoops, didn't put the filter back on. He should probably fix that before he gives too much away, but he probably would have had to mention the whole Inoue Orihime being his mother at some point.

Speaking of… his future mother's gone bright red, but her hand's still gentle on his cheek. She's still got that hairpin too. From the uncle he's never met, his father had once told him. From the uncle his father only met himself after he died. Kazui had thought that meant his father was a Shinigami too – until his father had corrected him. A hallow, not a Shinigami, and his father had banished him early on in his tenure.

'Explain,' Uryuu snaps.

Kazui blinks at his mother. She's still blushing, but she hasn't pushed him away – and, better yet, she can see him.

'Did Orihime get a love-child?' Reiji asks.

Rukia slaps his shoulder. 'Idiot,' she snaps. 'In case you've forgotten, we don't go over to Orihime's tiny little apartment every week either.'

'I'd have you all over if I could,' Orihime says sheepishly, 'but living space is so expensive.'

And her recipes are rather… creative, Kazui thinks. But his father keeps them in line, mostly. Or Yuzu takes over the kitchen and makes them a feast. Still, her food's creative but not inedible. It just requires an adventurous palate. And her bento's her own doing, no doubt.

'You're going to try Orihime's cooking?' Keigo laughs. 'Good luck to you, kid.'

Orihime blinks, first at Keigo then at Kazui, then offers her lunch. 'Of course, you're welcome.'

And Kazui happily accepts that invitation – even though everybody but Orihime gape at him for surviving the first bite.

'Well, I don't know if I'd count that as proof, but it's something that you didn't choke on the first bite,' Uryuu sighs. 'But can you explain how you popped up from the future into our time?'

'Nope,' Kazui shrugs. 'I've got no idea myself. And if I had to pick, I certainly wouldn't have picked a time where my father can't see me.'

They stare at him, a mix of confusion and understanding and pity – and an awkward embarrassment on Orihime's once-again flaming face. Though no-one who's understood all that can blame her, since she just found out she marries Ichigo and has a son with him and all that.

They can't blame him either, for landing in a time where his own father can't see him. Unless they're ridiculously suspicious of him. Though they're not, it seems. They don't seem to be. It's a time of peace for them at least.

Except Chad's not there, Kazui realises. And neither is his father. So maybe it's not peace at all. That group that Chad had been involved in… Xcution?

The others are looking at him oddly, again. But at least they're not jumping in alarm… so maybe not Xcution, after all.

Or maybe they just don't know.

Then maybe he should follow his father tonight, just to make sure.