A Weight Lifted

Three weeks after Ginjo's overdose.

With his gaze momentarily turning from his book to the beach of the resort in Dubai, Tsukishima smiled at another day in calming paradise. He was currently up in the suite he'd rented, sitting out on the balcony and reading the second book in a trilogy that he was currently enamored with.

Dubai was the place he'd chosen to bring Ginjo, since the last time he had visited it had been on… less relaxed terms. Observing the Jaegerjaques fellow and his mother wasn't exactly his idea of enjoying the scenery.

The beach was decorated in the bright colors of the many umbrellas and bathing suits of the visitors at this resort. Everyone was relaxing in the company of their family or friends, some with lovers. It was nice. Refreshing, actually, to not be here on business.

He'd worked for Ginjo for a very long time, and this was the first time he'd ever been able to relax like this.

"What are you doing lounging around out there for?" Ginjo's voice came from inside the suite.

Tsukishima turned and looked inside to the man lying on the bed. "You're awake?"

"Yeah. I don't feel so good, though. That damned medicine always makes me feel sick."

"Take it easy. Just rest for a while. Oh, and in response to your question, I'm reading while sun bathing."

Some teenage girl down on the first floor had seen Tsukishima and told him he needed a tan, and badly. He decided to give sitting out in the sun for a while a chance. Though, he didn't want to end up looking like he was an Oompa Loompa or anything…

"I've known you for over twenty years, and never have I once seen you lying outside to catch a tan. Why the sudden change?"

"I'm not actually trying to tan my skin, I just want to give it some exposure to the sunlight. Consider it a sign of my new resolve."

Ginjo raised an eyebrow. "New resolve? What new-"

"I meant to say my new start! This is the start of something good, and I feel like seeing the sun a little more than I have is symbolic of it. I can't spend my life hiding away in a library when the world is right here in front of me."

"What's gotten into you these past few days?" the brawny man asked suspiciously.

Tsukishima looked down to the pages in his book. It had been more than a few days since he'd decided to make a fresh start. Ever since his last time coming here to Dubai, he'd made a choice to change. And it was all because of that blue-haired guy named Grimmjow Jaegerjaques he was originally meant to keep tabs on.

The only part of his fresh beginning that he had yet to act on was his confession to Ginjo.

It hadn't really been a proper time to say anything to him right after his overdose, so he decided he'd wait for a while. Give Ginjo time to recuperate before he introduced this new chapter in their lives. Waiting here with him also let him watch as Ginjo got over the Kurosaki boy. It was a slow process, but a process nonetheless.

After all this time of not being in Karakura to smother the poor child, he could see that Ginjo was finally moving on. Or, he was putting it behind him, at least.

As per Kurosaki's wish, Tsukishima had passed along his message of thanks. And he'd also passed on the hope for happiness the boy mentioned. He did all of that when they first arrived to let it sink in. Plus, he didn't want to jeopardize any recovery Ginjo could have by saving it for a later time, like now. Now was his time. Now was his moment to be with Ginjo, even if it was only for support.

Tsukishima closed his book and got up. After one last glance out to the beach and the many people enjoying their day on it, he walked inside and then stopped in front of Ginjo's bed.

"Ginjo, I need to tell you something. Something I've been hiding from you for quite a long time and… until recently never would have admitted to you."

Ginjo raised an eyebrow, but got out from under his sheets. He felt weird listening to something that was apparently important while sitting in such a relaxed manner.

"You didn't need to change position…"

"I know, but I wanted to."

Tsukishima averted his eyes and tried to hide his face because he knew his cheeks were reddening. "Well…"

"Take a seat somewhere. You really want to tell me something while standing up? It must not be something you consider important."

"Oh!" Quickly, Tsukishima walked over to the table in the room and pulled the chair out. He then pushed it over to Ginjo's bedside and sat down in it.

"What is it that you want to tell me?" the larger man asked.

"Ginjo… for a long time when I was young, I'd never known what it meant to be happy. Since my parents were taken from me when I was only four, it was near impossible to see any light in this world, or anyone who could care for someone like me. But you… You helped me when I was at my lowest. You picked me up and brought a smile to my face. Let me read from fantastic authors I never would have been exposed to on my own. I'll never be able to thank you enough for that…"

Ginjo shook his head. "It was nothing. I was merely doing a good deed; passing on the light that someone once showed me when I was in a similar situation to yours."

"I still remember the day we met… clear as crystal."

Flashback

With tears running down his face, Tsukishima, age 12, walked out of the library and stared back inside for a moment. The librarian told him that he couldn't check out any books when he gave her his library card. Then she said his foster mother was looking for him, and told her to call the house if he came to the library.

So he was out of a home, since he had run away a few days ago, and he couldn't have his books either?

Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, he made his way down the sidewalk that would lead him to the shopping centers that were further down the road. It was time for him to find something to eat.

"Excuse me, ma'am." He said to a woman who was coming out of the coffee house with a large cup of coffee in her hand. It was a somewhat cold day.

"Me?" the woman asked.

"Mhmm."

"What's a little guy like you doing outside a coffee shop?"

"How did you know I wasn't just passing by?"

"I've seen you standing out here and begging for food since I got here twenty minutes ago… Where's your family?"

"Never mind that. If you saw me out here for so long, then why did you sit idly by and not do anything? Surely someone like you, who seems like a middle-class citizen, would have had the decency to come outside and share a pastry with me?"

The woman had a shocked expression on her face. "How-how old are you?"

"Twelve."

"How come you're out here instead of at home with your parents?"

"My parents are dead. And I'll wind up the same way, eventually."

Tsukishima's eyes widened when the woman pulled out her cell phone and he saw her press three buttons on the screen. "Don't worry, honey. I'm going to get you some-"

"No, I don't want any help from the police!"

And with that, Tsukishima hurried away from the woman with tears running down his cheeks again.

Did no one understand that he couldn't go back to that foster home? That's the first place the police would take him, and it wouldn't be nice when he returned. He contemplated the terrible things his foster mother would do to him when she saw him again. Surely she was dissatisfied with the fact that he'd run away in the first place.

Quelling his sobs as he sat under a tree outside Barnes & Noble seemed impossible, and it earned him the attention of a few people who passed by.

"What are you doing sitting out here crying for?"

Tsukishima looked up through his long bangs and stared up at the man who was standing over him, dressed in a leather jacket and somewhat tight-fitting black pants.

"I'm *sob* I'm hungry… and *sob* and I can't buy any books to read either."

"That's no good." The man replied, and then knelt in front of Tsukishima. "Why don't you come with me? I've got a lot of novels in my library, and I've got lots of food, too."

"No offense…" the boy began as he wiped his eyes, "But I learned I should never go along with strangers… You're creepy."

"Wow, you sure are… well spoken for for a kid."

"I'm *sob* I'm very intelligent."

"Listen, you don't have to come with me now. But, if the day ever comes that you feel lonely, extremely hungry, in need of some literature, or in want of some entertainment, here's the place I go to everyday that provides all that and more."

Tsukishima watched as the man took out a business card from his jacket and handed it to him. After taking it, he sniffed and wiped his eyes.

"My name's Ginjo. Ask for me if you do come, and the nice lady at the front desk will let you come to see all the work I do." Ginjo said with a smile.

He then patted him on the head, stood up, and then waved, before heading off on his way down the sidewalk.

After a few days of barely surviving on rations he managed to get from strangers, Tsukishima could take no more of this life as a kid on the streets. Swallowing his pride, and promising himself that he'd be more polite this time, he pulled out the card Ginjo had given him and then got an adult to tell him where to find the address on it.

"Have fun, little guy." The lady said as he hurried off in the direction she'd pointed him in.

"Thank you!" he called over his shoulder.

The address on the building in front of Tsukishima matched the one on the card Ginjo had given him.

"What's XCUTION Industries?" he thought as he put the card back into his pocket and walked up to the front doors.

A woman sitting at the front desk saw him coming, and he could see a smile form on her lips. When he reached the desk, he nervously looked around the lobby of the building. It was somewhat homey, even though it was also professional and formal at the same time.

"Can I help you, little guy?"

Tsukishima looked the woman in the face. "Um… I'm… I'm looking for a Ginjo… he said you'd let me see him."

"Oh, well alright. I'm Jackie. What's your name?" Jackie asked and got out of her seat.

"Tsukishima."

"Nice to meet you, Tsukishima. Come with me and I'll bring you to Ginjo."

Without a word, Tsukishima followed Jackie down the hallway and to the elevator.

"Do you know what Ginjo does?" she asked him after they entered it.

"No…"

The elevator stopped and dinged, and the doors opened. Standing at the end of the hallway that was lit in light blue lights all the way down, was Ginjo. He was standing with his arms folded and talking to someone.

"Ginjo, there's a kid named Tsukishima here looking for you."

Said man turned and smiled in Jackie and Tsukishima's direction.

Jackie led Tsukishima over to Ginjo and looked into one of the rooms. "How's the development going?" she asked.

"Not so good, but I'll be stepping in and doing some work myself to increase efficiency. The testers are finding a lot of glitches in the latest BETA. And they're all from World B. The developers had the hardest time constructing that world, so I can't imagine what they'll say when they have to revisit it to fix the errors. I'll do 'em a favor and render it myself.'" The raven-haired man replied.

"You're stepping in? That's a surprise. You usually just do 'administrative' work."

"…Jackie, don't you have some work to do?"

"Hey, I was just complying with one of your little charitable- I mean, yeah, I'll leave this kid with you. He doesn't seem like the gaming type, though." Jackie said. Without a wave at Tsukishima, she left him in Ginjo's company.

Turning to the man he'd previously been talking to, Ginjo sighed. "Let the others know I'll be coming in a little later to work out some of the Level 9 bugs."

"Right."

"Ginjo… I'm not interested in video games." Tsukishima commented right after the other man had left to deliver Ginjo's message.

"That's fine. Come with me. I think I have something you'll like."

With a sigh and a definite feeling that Ginjo had nothing in this place that would interest him, Tsukishima followed after the man anyway.

…

"You like books, right?" Ginjo asked as he stopped in front of a door on the fourth floor.

"Yes, that's right." Tsukishima answered.

"Well, then you'll probably get the most use out of this room." When Ginjo slid his card in the reader beside the door, it unlocked and then opened. "This is a reference room. We have many books about many different subjects here so we can be as accurate as possible in our development. There are also a lot of regular novels here some of my employees have brought."

Tsukishima's eyes were starry and wide as the lights came on and a massive collection of books came into view. The room was literally overflowing with knowledge, and it was right before him.

Turning to Ginjo, he was handed a card. "What's this?" he asked.

"My access card. It will grant you clearance into any room in this building." The man answered with a grin. "Be sure to drop by my bar and chat with my bartender. He'll love the company… plus… he babbles on all day. I feel like you'd benefit from some social interaction. And if he ever gets boring, this place is full of interesting people you can talk to. So don't be shy!"

"…Thank you… but…"

"But what?"

"How will you get around without your card?"

Ginjo started laughing. "I go through ten of those a month. Don't sweat it! Jackie will have another one ready for me by tomorrow. So take that and feel free to come and go as you please. I won't force you to stay, but at least you know there's always a warm place for you here. By the way, there's a secret room in my office on the wall to the left when you walk in that has a bed in it. No one knows about it but me… and you now. If the nights ever get too cold and you can't find anywhere to go, this place is always available to you. And since we have day and night time employees, the building is open so long as you keep that card and use it to get in." When Ginjo noticed the boy's eyes start watering, he was quick to try consoling him. "Wh-what is it?!" he asked, kneeling down to the child's height. "Shit… I can't even be nice without things going wrong… Look, it's okay. You being here is no issue-"

His words were cut short as he was pounced on and held tightly in a hug.

Tsukishima was never one to initiate physical contact with anyone, so this action surprised even him. But he was just so happy. After a life on the streets, he finally, finally had somewhere to call home. There was a place for him to be safe and sheltered from the rain or the people who only wished to cause him harm. And it was all because of this ape of a man in his grasp.

That was the beginning of his blossoming emotions for the executive of XCUTION.

End Flashback

"I still have that card." Tsukishima said with a warm expression on his face.

"I can't imagine why you wouldn't. You don't like getting yelled at by Jackie." Ginjo replied with a grin.

"That is true…"

"So what is it you want to tell me?"

"Ginjo… what I want to tell you… what I've been wanting to tell you for so many years now… Is that… I'm in love with you."

It was now out in the open. There for the world to know.

A weight was now lifted. A heart now exposed.

Tsukishima looked down to the floor. "It is not as if I'm trying to make you love me back… I just don't want to live wondering what if. I'm not so good with people, but you helped me open up. You showed me kindness. You taught me that second chances and miracles do exist. And I can only love you for it, Ginjo. All I ask is that you live. Live and trust that someday someone will return your feelings, the ones you direct at the Kurosaki boy. Because you deserve happiness. You go so far simply because someone taught you what compassion and goodwill was, and although you may go too far, your heart is in the right place. Even Kurosaki believes that. So please, for me, and for our family back at XCUTION, please carry on. Never attempt to take your life again."

There was a brief moment of silence in the room. Tsukishima got up from his seat and then took his book back outside so he could continue reading. Ginjo had some thinking to do. Now that he heard all of that, the only thing to do now was to let him process it.

Before he began reading, the slender man took a gaze out at the horizon and smiled. Yes, the world seemed a little brighter now that he admitted his feelings. And Ginjo, although surprised, didn't seem upset or disturbed by his confession.

"Thank you, Jaegerjaques-san. You've taught me a valuable lesson in what it means to be brave and take chances." He whispered.

I'm sorry for the late update.

Until next chapter, take care.