Chapter 6: Capsule hotel

Uryu was using his phone as a GPS to easily find the way over to the capsule hotel. Well, Karakura town only had one of those, but still, it was in a part of town he didn't actually frequent.

He felt glum and melancholic after being forced out of his small apartment just that morning. Although it hadn't been big or fancy, it had been everything to him. A place to call home. Just closing the door after him that morning, knowing that it was forever goodbye, had been difficult. Especially now, after he'd already been through so much, and had no one to rely on.

His landlord, Ito-san, had felt bad for him as he'd always been a good tenant, and so apparently, had called in a favor from an old friend, the owner of the Capsule hotel. That's how Uryu had found himself on the way there, with the promise he could spend the next 2 nights for free.

Sighing, he rounded a corner to one of the shopping districts and couldn't help but look into the direction of a crepes stand as the strong, sweet waft made his stomach roar. His day had been so overwhelming with everything he had to take care off, he barely had had time to eat. But he couldn't waste any money on folly treats like a crepe, knowing full well he'd have to run a very tight budget with the pocket change he had on him.

Steeling himself to the beckoning smell, he opted to finally take a break and sat down on a bench in the middle of a crowded square before taking out his bento. That should at least appease his demanding stomach for a while. He'd used up as much food from his fridge as he could to make some leftovers for today and tomorrow. After that, he'd have to buy some new supplies, but as he didn't have access to a refrigerator anymore, it'd probably be senbei, crackers and the likes for a while.

Eating in silence, the Quincy gazed at the colorful characters that passed down the road before him. Thirsty, he took out a water bottle from his backpack. That morning, he'd gone to school extra early to stash the remainder of the items he wanted to keep in the storage room where he was allowed to keep the needlework utensils. He'd also left a big backpack there with his medical supplies, some toiletries and his clothes among some other necessary things. That pack was very large and heavy, and he'd probably get some weird looks if his peers had seen him walking with that around school. So after storing it safely, he'd taken out a small pack that only held the necessities for a few days, seeing as he could stay over at the Capsule hotel during the weekend, he figured he'd go get his large pack when he'd found a place to stay after that.

Sighing at that thought, he still had no clue what he was supposed to do after this weekend. Both Ichigo and Sado had sniped him down when he as much as made eye-contact during these last 2 days at school. But… he wasn't giving up on them. If only they'd hear him out for a bit, he was certain neither of them would be so cold-hearted not to help him out. Even if it were only for a few days. He hoped they would both be approachable again after the weekend.

But… even if they were, he was still in dire need of a job. Without one, he was never going to be able to find a small place he could rent, or provide for himself. He felt his chest clench from all the stress. A person his age shouldn't have to worry about things like shelter or food, but it couldn't be helped. He would just have to face whatever was coming…

Having finished his dinner, Uryu put his empty bento in his pack and resumed his walk up to the hotel. It was right in the center of town, as to be expected. The outside looked nice, with a sleek looking neon sign, but upon entering the foyer Uryu saw that the interior had known better days. Nothing that a bright lick of paint and a little refurbishing couldn't improve, though.

He stepped up to the dark, wooden desk, framed by 2 rustic looking lamps, and rang the bell as there was no one there. There were two corridors, one going left, the other right, where the actual capsules had to be located. There was a cozy looking backless sofa in front of the desk, but Uryu stayed where he was. Staring at the big windows where he'd entered the building, he saw the sun was almost down. His eyes fell on his own reflection and he could only confirm that he looked as depressed as he felt. Uryu sighed and averted his gaze before ringing again. Listening to the corny music that played in the background.

All of a sudden, the Quincy heard a low humming sound and turned around. A tall, buff man was looking at him with a big smirk on his face. He wore a tight jeans, that didn't look comfortable at all and made every line in his form clearly visible beneath the rough fabric. His heavy boots and brightly colored tank top completed his outfit. His ears were pierced and embellished by silver skull earrings, that reflected a soft hue on his slick, black hair.

"Hi there," the man said, while overtly checking him out.

Okay. Uryu was immediately on guard after being openly ogled like that. "Hi."

"What's a pretty boy like you doing here?"

"Minding my own business," Uryu countered, glaring at the weird figure. He didn't like how that guy was appraising him at all.

"Are you now?" The tall man quipped. "Well, how 'bout I make your business my business, too?" He gave the archer an uncanny feeling, and Uryu was just about to tell him to leave him alone when another voice sounded from the opposite side of the room.

"Hey, Masaki! Don't give my customers the creeps!" Uryu turned towards the direction of the voice to see another tall man enter the room. He had short, blond hair and wore a golden choker that had instantly captured the teens attention. He could not be older than 30, take or leave a few years, and the black tank top he wore accentuated his broad shoulders and muscular arms.

"You're a lovely piece of ass, you know that, kid. If you're free, we could-" Uryu turned back around to the tall man besides him, right in time to slap his hands aside.

"Don't touch me!" He yelled, angrily, while the man still looked him up and down. "What's your problem?"

"Don't push it, Masaki! Leave the boy alone," the blond man intervened, while he stepped behind the counter. "Now, shoo!"

"Oww. Come on, Kazuma. I saw him first," the tall guy said mockingly, before he burst into laughter and started walking into the left corridor. Uryu was glad to see him walk away and took on a more relaxed stance.

"Don't mind him, kid, he's just an idiot. It's me you want to talk to." The blond man gave him a smile, before supporting his head by putting an elbow on the counter. "Although… he was right about your looks, though."

Uryu felt heat rise to his cheeks at that unexpected compliment. Nobody had ever told him something like that before, and most certainly not another man. He quickly tried to regroup his thoughts under the broad smile of the blond guy. "Umm… r-right… I'm Ishida Uryu. Ito-san sent me."

"Ah yes, of course!" The other exclaimed, taking on a more professional look. "I was expecting you. I'm Kazuma, the owner of this place."

"Pleased to meet you, Kazuma-san."

"Likewise! Come on, I'll show you where you can spend the night."

The Quincy walked after Kazuma into the right corridor. After rounding a corner, there was a row of lockers where he could safely store his belongings.

"This is the shared bathroom for this hallway." The owner flipped on the lights while Uryu followed him in to find a row of sinks as well as a row of shower stalls. "Towels and toiletries are on those shelves. They are complimentary to your capsule, so feel free to take a long, hot shower here."

Uryu could clearly feel the man's eyes on him, especially as he emphasized the word hot. He was a little taken aback and looked down. "I'll do that."

"Oh. There's an eyelash on your cheek. Let me help you." Quickly, Kazuma brushed his thumb over Uryu's cheek in what felt like a caress, before tucking a rebellious lock of his fringe behind his ear. "There. All better."

The Quincy gasped in surprise before pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose to hide his embarrassment. The owner gave him a smile again. Not an up-to-no-good smirk like that tall guy had, but a genuine smile. "T-thanks…" Uryu muttered, uncertain what to think of this.

"Come on, Uryu-kun. Umm. Can I call you Uryu-kun?"

Although he wasn't used to a lot of people addressing him by his first name, he gave the permission. Better to keep the owner of the place he would be staying in on friendly terms.

"Alright, Uryu-kun, I'll show you to your capsule. Normally, I can't let minors stay here, but since your landlord explained your situation and all, I'll make an exception."

He wasn't sure what Ito-san had told the owner, but he must know as much that he didn't have a place to stay right now. "Thank you, Kazuma-san."

They stopped in front of a cluster of 6 capsules which were all empty right now. The blond man leaned his back to the wall, looking at him intently. "However, I can only let you stay for free for 2 nights."

"That's alright. It's really kind of you, Kazuma-san."

"Nah. I owed Ito-san a favor." The blond chuckled. "Besides, who could say no to a gorgeous guy like you?"

Uryu blushed crimson at that and tried to get some words out of his mouth. "Th-that's…" Although he couldn't deny that the other was rather attractive himself, he wasn't used to men coming on to him like this.

"You can use the top capsule." Kazuma pointed to a small space on the top row. "Go on, try to open it."

"Alright." Uryu climbed the 3-runged ladder and tried to open up his capsule. He heard the man snicker, before he suddenly felt him climb up the stairs behind him. Taken by surprise, he froze.

"No, no, that door opens up like a car trunk. Here." The owner pulled the door, but Uryu wasn't paying attention to that. A little anxiety was already spreading through his veins as he felt Kazuma's body pressed against his back. "There are only a few other guests today, so it should be a quiet night."

"O-okay," Uryu stammered.

"Whoa. What's wrong?" The blond must've seen he was getting nervous and promptly jumped down the ladder.

"Nothing, I was just… startled," the Quincy lied. That stupid panic of his was really playing parts on him. He was so edgy these days. The owner was just trying to help him out.

"Have you had dinner yet?" Kazuma asked while Uryu climbed down, too.

"Oh… I had a bento on the way over.

"Aww. Too bad. Otherwise you could have joined me. It's no fun eating all by myself." The man snickered and threw him a wink. "I'll be up for a while, taking care of business and all, so if you're interested in having a drink with me and a nice talk, you know where to find me."

Uryu blushed a little again, turning his gaze down. Kazuma had a certain resemblance to Ichigo, with his short, brightly colored hair and warm eyes. And the way he had winked at him... The Substitute had done that a few times too during the handful of weeks they had tried healing together. "R-right." Uryu didn't really know what to answer, still trying to figure out if he was being too paranoid about this.

"Enjoy your stay, Uryu-kun."

"Thanks."


After changing out of his school uniform and doing a bit of studying, Uryu intended to follow up on Kazuma's advice and took a hot shower to help him relax. Followed by going to bed early. It had been a long day and with everything on his mind, he just felt drained.

After he'd gotten a few hours of sleep, Uryu cried out as he awoke from another nightmare. Panting, he tried to calm down his pounding heart by repeating over and over that he was safe here. There was no Vasto Lorde here, nor Szayelaporro… not even Ichigo for that matter. The fact that he was plagued by those horrific dreams almost every night unfortunately didn't made him used to them. He still woke up frightened and disoriented.

As Uryu turned over on his back with an arm draped over his forehead, he looked up at the ceiling. It took him a handful of seconds to remember he was inside a capsule in the hotel.

Suddenly, he heard some weird noises coming from the hallway. It sounded like creaking, and soft footsteps, mixed in with whispered voices. Not completely awake yet, he tried to tell himself it was nothing. All places had their specific sounds and this locations was not different. It was probably coming from some late guests, searching for their capsules without putting the main lights on. Ever since his captivity, he had been on edge and was much jumpier than before. He felt like a wimp to get startled so easily, but he couldn't help it.

All of a sudden, Uryu heard a muffled snicker and tried to sit up, suddenly aware he'd forgotten to lock his capsule from the inside. But before he'd had the chance to do just that, the door to his capsule was opened and he was hauled out by his feet. He made a startled shriek as three guys held him by his arms and legs and lowered him onto the floor. A hand was placed over his mouth to silence his protests.

Three buff goons were looking him up and down, while stifling their laughter. The one that tried silencing him with his palm was the tall creep he had met in the foyer before. He was accompanied by an ugly one and a fat one. The ugly one had a big scar on his face, and was missing an eye after what must've been some serious head trauma. The fat one had long, light purple hair and wore it in a pony tail. His hair color matching a purple tattoo of a full moon, framed by clouds, on his bare biceps. Just like the tall guy, they were dressed in skinny jeans, boots and tank tops. Why the three of them had such a matching outfit was beyond Uryu, but he didn't get to linger on that.

The Quincy cursed inwardly. He should've know that tall man would be up to no good…

It took Uryu a second before waking completely and he instinctively bit the hand that was muffling him. He heard a shriek and the palm was quickly removed from his face.

"Leave me the hell alone!" Uryu yelled on top of his lungs, aiming to draw the attention of other sleeping guests. He punched and kicked wildly and made a few sure hits, eliciting muffled cursing from his assailants, while they tried to restrain him.

All at once, the tall man grabbed his collar and smacked him against an empty capsule. "You're real feisty, pretty boy. I like that. But you're gonna do as we say, or-"

Uryu didn't wait for him to finish that sentence, but instantly kneed the man in the groin, eliciting a startled groan from the latter. As the tall one reached for his bruised balls, the Quincy smirked and tried to get out of the hold of the other two. He had to be quick about it, knowing that if they pushed the right buttons, his trauma would trigger. "I'll show you just how feisty I can be!"

"Boss!" One of them asked while the tall guy doubled over. "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay to you, you idiot! Just deal with him before someone finds us!"

Uryu had managed to get his left wrist free and promptly punched the fat guy in the nose as hard as he could.

"Fuck!" The fat man screamed as blood started running down. "He's a real piece of work!"

"Okay kid, that's enough!" The only unscathed of the three suddenly produced a knife and held it against Uryu's throat. The Quincy wanted to try and get out of this one's grip, too, when the ugly man just threw his body weight into the struggle and pinned Uryu against the wall with his form.

"No! Get away from me!" He tried. But it was too late. Uryu felt his body react, and panic started to spread. He cursed himself for being this weak, but… it would take a long time to get over what had happened, and he could only hope that his trauma would get better eventually.

"Now pretty one," the tall man had straightened himself, and roughly gripped the Quincy's chin between his fingers, pulling his face towards him, while his accomplice tightened his hold on the blade, "you're going to hand us all you stuff."

Uryu wanted to kick the man in the groin again, but was preoccupied with fighting of the panic that was trying to take over his body. Besides that, Uryu could clearly feel the knife pressed to his skin and couldn't risk any wild movements.

"M-my stuff?" He asked, unsure. "I don't have anything…" It was true, of course, but his assailants didn't believe him.

"Come on," the tall man proceeded, "staying at a hotel at your age, your daddy must be rich. You're just some wealthy bastard's son who's never known any hardships in his life. The angel face gives you away." The other two laughed at that, although muffled.

As usual, Uryu was being judged. These creeps didn't know anything about him, nor about his messed up life, but assuming was easy. "I really don't-"

"What the hell is all this ruckus!" Another occupied capsule in the hallway opened up. "Leave that kid alone!" The tall, creepy guy was just telling Uryu's "neighbor" to stay out of this, when all lights turned on, making all of them blink.

"What the fuck, Masaki! Haven't I told you to leave that boy alone!" Kazuma, the blond owner of the capsule hotel shouted as he rounded the corner. "Do you assholes have any idea how much noise you're making?" The ugly man swiftly removed his blade from Uryu's neck before the owner could see it and stepped away from him. "You've woken up the entire hotel, you douchebags!"

"We were just having some fun, Kazuma."

"Yeah right!" Uryu shouted, angrily. The panic in his body had stopped spreading when the ugly man had released him, and now he could think clearly enough to grab the tall man's wrist and get his filthy fingers off of his chin. "They wanted to rob me!"

Kazuma breathed furiously and bore a hole into the tall man's skull. "Get out of my hotel. Now."

"But, we paid for-" The fat one tried.

"Now!" The owner shouted. "I already gave you guys another chance, and you're already at this again. Get out!"

"Screw this. This aint the only place in town where we can have fun." The tall guy countered. Then, he turned back towards Uryu and smiled wickedly as he sneered: "You're lucky today, kid, but better start prayin' we never run into you again or I'll make sure you'll regret it."

"Leave me alone, you creep!" The archer shouted.

"Get lost now, or I'm calling the cops!" the owner yelled. The three men stared him down, but it was evident that Kazuma was probably used to dealing with situations like this, as he didn't seem intimidated at all. He straightened his tall back and readied his fists.

"Come on boys." The boss of the three weirdo's said while turning around. "We'll find a better way to occupy ourselves."

"Stay away this time!" Kazuma shouted after them. "Or I'll kick your asses!" One of them snickered while they disappeared around the corner and then it became quiet again.

"Are you alright, Uryu-kun?"

"Y-yeah, they just startled me. Thank you." The Quincy was still breathing a little faster, but he had been able to avert an upcoming panic attack right in time due to Kazuma's intervention. He sighed gratefully and wiped his brow.

"Come," the blond man said, "you look like you could use some company right about now."

"Umm… That's not necessary, Kazuma-san. I'll be okay."

"Oww, come on. You look stressed out and…I just wanna help you to calm down. Sometimes just a simple talk can do wonders for your nerves."

"Can everybody get back to sleep now?" The guy in the other capsule suddenly intervened. He'd apparently followed the whole conversation. "Sheesh…" And with that he closed his lid and put out his lights.

"Okay then…" Uryu said hesitantly. No harm would come from just talking to the man, now would it? He had so much on his mind that it might be good to actually speak with someone. "Just let me get my glasses."

And so, without giving it a second thought, Uryu followed Kazuma into his office. The room was rather dark, so the blond promptly flicked some light switches. Besides a desk and a few chairs, there was also a sofa and a tv in the room, apart from some other things.

"Take a seat, Uryu-kun."

Obediently, the Quincy occupied the nearest chair. He wasn't completely at ease sitting here in his long-sleeved purple pajamas, but... He assumed Kazuma had seen lots of people in their pajamas in his life. And besides, he had just helped him get rid of those three weirdos. Why couldn't he just relax a little?

"Now, for that drink…" The blond man turned around to a small cabinet and took out a glass bottle and 2 glasses.

Uryu assumed it had to be something alcoholic, so he politely declined. "No thanks, Kazuma-san, I'm not fond of alcohol."

The owner however continued to pour some dark brown beverage into the 2 glasses and put the one holding the least liquid in front of Uryu. "Yeah, I figured as much, but it's only a small shot to settle your nerves." The man went to sit down on the chair opposite of the Quincy. "It will help you relax so you can go back to sleep. And we can talk for a bit, if you'd like."

"Alright then." Uryu nodded, still eyeing the alcohol. "What did you pour me?"

"Oh, it's some imported stuff from Europe. It's very popular there. Just take a nip, you'll like it."

The Quincy cautiously took a sip of his glass. He didn't really like it, but he couldn't deny his body and mind needed soothing. It was only a little anyway, judging from the amount of liquor inside the owner's glass. Uryu downed the shot and felt the alcohol spread a faint tingling buzz from inside his belly. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

Kazuma toasted to that and downed half of his own glass with a smile. But then, the man placed his chin atop his entwined fingers and took on a more serious look. "So, Uryu-kun, are you holding up?"

"I guess." The teen answered, still eying his now empty glass and the shadows it made on the desk.

Kazuma sighed. "You looked rather upset when I walked in on those tugs. Thank god I came to check up on you."

"Yeah…" Uryu averted his gaze. His panic had subsided some time ago, but he was still on edge. He had been ever since Ichgio and him had been captured by that Espada…

"Ito-san told me you don't have a place to stay. Why don't you live with your father?"

Uryu sighed for a moment. Maybe he would feel better if he got some of his problems off his chest… "He hates me," the Quincy answered flatly. "He always has. And now he's disowned me, too. He won't pay for my living expenses any longer, and so…" He couldn't finish the sentence, clenching his fists hard. It was so frustrating, yet painful at the same time.

"That's a lot to deal with for a boy your age." Kazuma nipped from his glass and took a long exhale. "So, what are you gonna do? Do you have a girlfriend, or… a boyfriend that can help you out?"

Uryu gasped at that, although there was nothing wrong with the question. He looked down and pushed his glasses back up. "It… it's complicated."

"Why is it complicated?" Kazuma asked softly. "I might not look it, but I've been through a lot myself, and I'm a good listener, too. So, if you'd like to share your problems…"

Uryu looked up at him, certain some of the agony he felt was visible on his face. He wouldn't normally act like this at all, but… he was hurting so much, and this stranger was offering to hear him out, which was more than any of his friends had wanted to do. Also, he felt the alcohol had already made him feel a bit more relaxed, lowering his usual guards a little.

"I-I'm in love with this… boy, but… something really bad has happened to us and now… he doesn't even want to talk to me." Uryu looked down again and gripped the fabric of his pajama pants hard between his fingers.

Kazuma hummed. "So… your boyfriend is breaking up with you because of what happened?"

"N-not really," Uryu continued. "Ichigo claims we were never together. He says he took pity on me after what happened and pretended that… that he…" He bit his lip. His broken heart was hurting too much to say it.

"He pretended to like you?" Kazuma asked, incredulously. "What a dick move of that Ichigo! Is he crazy? Who wouldn't want a gorgeous, sensitive boy like yourself?"

That made Uryu blush again, but he remained silent for a moment, trying to get his emotions under control while he was still looking at his knees.

"Don't you have anybody else that can help you out? A relative or a friend, maybe?"

The Quincy took a quivering breath. "Unfortunately, no. I don't have any relatives besides my father. And… as Ichigo has problems to deal with what happened to us, our friends want me to keep away from them. For his sake." The alcohol was now definitely make him more loose-lipped.

"Wow. Some friends they are, Uryu-kun. Unbelievable."

"Y-yeah…" was all he could answer to that. The emotions were battling inside of him again. He felt so lonely and yet… he was talking to this nice person, the first person to show any interest in him since a long time. It felt like a small ray of sun touching him.

"Sorry for asking this, but why did you think of this Ichigo character as your boyfriend then?"

That question had visibly taken the Quincy aback and with wide, blue eyes he looked up at the blond man, taking a quivering breath. Then, he bit his lip and lowered his head so his raven black hair shielded his face. "He… he kissed me and… he held me for hours… whispering soft nothings in my ear and…" His voice broke and he clutched his pajama pants in a death grip as his emotions claimed him. "He was gentle and patient and… I was so stupid to think that… that…" Uryu's voice faltered and he couldn't hold back the tears that had been rapidly filling his eyes. That drink had definitely ruined his defenses, and now some of the hurt he tried to keep locked away inside his broken heart just came pouring out…

"Uryu-kun… you seem to really love that guy, but… if he treats you like that…" The blond pushed a box of tissues towards the distressed boy.

The Quincy tried to stop the hot tears from spilling from his eyes, but he was unsuccessful. "If only… if only that nightmare hadn't happened… it would never have come to all of this… My bastard of a father wouldn't have disowned me… Ichigo wouldn't have treated me like this… Even if I could only admire him from afar… that would've been better…"

Kazuma had fallen silent, and just let Uryu weep for a moment. He'd probably realized the heartbroken teen needed to get all of this out. Then, on a long sigh, the man suddenly asked: "You slept with him, didn't you?"

That made Uryu look up on a quivering gasp, face flustered and red. His voice broke again as he shyly admitted: "Y-yes, but…" A painful sob rolled from his lips and he felt weak and vulnerable right now. Burying his face in his hands, he couldn't bear to broach that subject. It was just too painful. Yes, Ichigo had slept with him, but never out of desire or love. Never because Ichigo had wanted to…

Suddenly, Uryu felt a hand on one of his shoulders, giving an encouraging squeeze. He looked up again, and tried to dry his weary eyes on his sleeves. Kazuma was looking down at him with sympathy and concern in his eyes. "I think you could use another shot, kid." Kazuma promptly turned around and started filling up their glasses again.

"No, that's okay…" the archer tried, as he wiped his watery eyes again. He really had to pull himself together. Sitting here, crying, wouldn't solve anything.

"No, it's not okay," Kazuma said, with his back still turned towards him. "You are obviously feeling miserable. As if losing your home wasn't enough, your stupid boyfriend clearly hurt you like hell and you have no one to help you out." He turned back around and placed a glass with a little more alcohol than the first time in front of the Quincy. "I can't even imagine what must be on your mind right now, but… if you drink this, it'll soothe your pain at least for tonight. You can get a decent rest here, and… this weekend, I'll see what I can do for you, Uryu-kun."

The archer's eyes went wide. "What do you mean, Kazuma-san?"

The owner pushed the glass towards him and said: "I mean that I'll try to help you find a place to stay. Hell, your story has touched me so much that I'll even let you stay over for another few nights, if you'd like."

Uryu just gaped at him for a few seconds, still trying to regain his composure albeit with puffy eyes and red cheeks. Had he heard that correctly? "You… you'd do that for me? But you know I can't pay you," he stammered, uncertain.

"Well, I won't do that for just anyone, you know. Bur for a ravishing, deeply wounded hottie, l'm willing to go the extra mile." He blinked at Uryu again, but the latter was so stunned he couldn't even blush right now. "Don't worry. We'll work something out. Now, how 'bout that drink?"

"Thank you, Kazuma-san, for being so kind to me." Uryu downed the glass, feeling its warm tingle down his throat.

"Yeah, yeah." He laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "You can thank me after I've actually helped you. For now it's just words, you know."

Uryu sighed as he felt the alcohol heat him up a little. The relaxing effect was doubled, too, and the hurt started slowly ebbing away. He knew it was only temporary, but he welcomed the feeling of not feeling miserable, even if only for a few hours.

To stumble on such a nice guy as Kazuma, it must be his lucky day.

"I-I'm a hard worker," the Quincy suddenly blurted. "If you let me stay for a few nights, I'll try to earn my keep here."

The blond man laughed. "I imagine you will, Uryu-kun. If you'll feel better that way, I can think something up, but… not tonight. Tonight I just want you to relax and get some rest."

"Thank you, Kazuma-san." He smiled a little, enjoying the warm feeling the liquor was spreading throughout his body. It really did wonders for his extremely tense body, and for the first time in days, the thought that he'd found a temporary solution lightened up his whole face.

"See, a smile suits you better, kid."

Uryu wiped his red-rimmed eyes for the last time, still smiling softly. "I… I feel a bit better already."

"Yeah… you just needed someone to listen, Uryu-kun. I'm so glad I could help you out a little."

Uryu's gaze fell on the clock on the desk and he gasped at how late it was. "Maybe I should go back to bed now."

"Yeah… We'll talk things over tomorrow. You just get some rest now."

Uryu pushed himself upright, but as he did, he suddenly felt a spell of dizziness come over him. Grunting, he gripped his head, while his right hand sought support on the desk in front of him.

"What's wrong?" Kazuma asked, worried. "You're not tipsy are you?"

"I-I don't know… I'm so dizzy..." Suddenly, Uryu's world started spinning and he felt his knees buckle.

"Uryu-kun? Are you alright?"

The Quincy groaned and collapsed onto the floor. Before the lights in his head went out, he thought he heard Kazuma's voice.

"Everything's gonna be allright, Uryu-kun…. I'll take good care of you."