“Oooh? What’s my favorite Quincy still doing in his office at this hour?”

Erich started, pen jerking in his hand and leaving a smear of ink across his paper. “Must you?” he growled, setting his pen aside and trying to blot up the spilled ink before it ruined his work. It was only preliminary planning for how to deal with his old guild, but that was still important and damn Urahara for interrupting him!

Urahara hummed and stepped closer, setting a cup of coffee on Erich’s desk and leaning in to peer at the papers scattered across the desk. “What’s all this? I don’t remember there being anything in the past few weeks that would warrant this level of planning from you.”

“It’s personal. Nothing to concern yourself over, Urahara.” Erich gave up on salvaging the page and pulled out another instead, planning on copying his writing over. Before he could do more than lay the fresh page next to the marred one, Urahara’s hand darted out and grabbed for— “Urahara!” Erich stood. Snatched at his father’s letter. Missed—

“So I’m finally losing you,” Urahara murmured as he read the letter, holding it out of Erich’s reach. “Well. I suppose it was inevitable.”

Erich stilled at Urahara’s words, surprised by the flat tone Urahara was speaking with. “Urahara..?”

“Did you think I didn’t realize you were in line to inherit the Quincy guild?” Urahara asked with a wry smile. “You weren’t very subtle when you first arrived.”

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You never indicated it was a problem before.”

“It wasn’t. It isn’t. If this is what you want, I’ll support you.” Urahara reread the letter one last time, then set it back on Erich’s desk. His gaze swept over the scattered papers then up to meet Erich’s gaze. “Is this what you want?”

‘Of course’ he wanted to say, but the words wouldn’t come. “I have no choice,” he settled on, looking away from Urahara and trying to tidy his desk before the man could figure out the truth of the matter.

(The Quincy were falling apart and his father was counting on him to hold them together.)

(Alexis doubted either of them would live long if they tried.)

(But what choice did they have?)

Urahara made a frustrated noise. “There’s always a choice. What do you want to do, Rerugen?”

“What choice is there?!” Erich shouted, slamming his hands on his desk and glaring at Urahara. “If I stay I will never be given a moment’s peace, and if I go I—” He clenched his jaw and swallowed his words, unwilling to give voice to Alexis’ suspicions.

“I could always help you clean house,” Urahara suggested.

“How very Shinigami of you,” Erich said with a shake of his head. Not that he hadn’t considered it as one of his plans; it had been… pleasing to imagine the worst of the lot perishing by Urahara’s blade, but the end result was not worth it. He refused to rule by fear.

“Aww, but it would solve your problem!”

“And cause hundreds more!” Erich glowered at Urahara, ignoring the man’s exaggerated pout. “I’m already mistrusted for joining your guild and standing with you instead of the Quincy. Killing off my dissenters will do nothing to endear me to the rest.”

“Hmm. So if joining my guild only made you mistrusted, what do you think would disqualify your from inheriting?”

“That’s not— I… I have a duty to my people, Urahara.” He sighed, tired of Urahara’s flailing attempts to help a situation that couldn’t be helped. “I can’t just abandon it on a whim.”

Urahara stepped around Erich’s desk and leaned against a corner, a thoughtful gleam in his eyes that Erich was wary of. Nothing good ever came of that gleam, especially when it was focused on him. “But it sounds like they don’t want you as their leader.”

“They probably don’t. But I’m still my father’s successor and there are Laws in our guild about that.”

“Then tell your father to choose someone else.”

Erich scoffed. “If only it was that easy. Unless I’m dead or have broken Quincy guild laws, the only way out of being heir is to marry someone outside the guild. Which requires my father’s permission anyway.”

Urahara smiled and leaned in, eyes bright. “Married, hm? I’m sure we could work something out—”

“I’m not going to pretend to cheat on Alexis with you just to get out of leading the Quincy!”

“Oooh?” Urahara grinned and edged closer, slowly backing Erich away from his desk. “Me, hmm? I was going to suggest Yoruichi, since I thought she was more your taste, but I see I was wrong.”

“Don’t read anything into it,” Erich growled as he ducked away before Urahara could back him into a corner. “You always want to be the center of attention, so what else was I to think when you suggested cheating on my fiance?”

“Who said anything about cheating?” Urahara asked, arching an eyebrow and giving Erich his best innocent expression. “Alexis seems like a reasonable woman, I’m sure we could work out a way to share you.”

“A way to—” Erich’s voice died in his throat as his brain caught up with Urahara’s words. He bit back the strangled noise that wanted to escape, mind ‘helpfully’ providing ideas. “That’s not the point!”

(He didn’t like Urahara like that!)

Urahara smirked and Erich wanted to flee the room. He could feel the heat across his cheeks and down the back of his neck, and he just wanted out before Urahara started teasing him about his reaction.

“Think of a better idea if you actually want to help!” Erich bit out before Urahara could speak. “I’m not agreeing to such an outrageous plan without Lexi’s agreement, and she’s not here!”

“So you would do it if she agreed, then?” Urahara tilted his head and leaned against Erich’s desk again, watching him with sharp eyes.

“Don’t put words in my mouth!” He took a deep breath, gathering his tattered temper and piecing it back together shred by shred. Urahara reveled in shattering his reserve, he knew that, constantly tried to guard against it, and yet still the man managed to worm his way beneath his skin. “If she agreed, I would consider it,” he allowed once he had his temper under control. “But only then, and only if she and I can’t come up with a better idea.”

Agreeing to even the potential of a fake relationship was a terrible decision and Erich knew it. No one would ever believe it, not with all the history that stood between their original guilds.

But if they could pull it off, if they could convince his father that the relationship was real…

His father would see the gambit for what it was — a clean break from the Quincy and a way out that no one could contest — but… maybe he’d allow it anyway. He wasn’t a heartless man, just one who tried to do his best for both guild and family.

(His father had sided with him once already, when he wanted to leave the guild to get experience outside of it.)

(Would his father side with him again?)

“You’re certainly thinking deep thoughts,” Urahara murmured, entirely too close all of a sudden.

Erich twitched and took a step away from Urahara. “Considering other options,” he lied without hesitation, giving Urahara a thin smile. He hated how soundlessly Urahara could move even without his blastia, and hated himself for no longer labeling the man an active threat. “If you’ll excuse me. It’s late and I should be resting.”

He turned and stalked from his office before Urahara could respond, not even caring if it looked like he was retreating.

He needed time to himself. Time to recoup and plan and find another option to escape inheriting a guild he no longer wanted anything to do with.

Pretending to be in a relationship with Kisuke Urahara of all people was definitely a last resort.

Even if Alexis agreed to the idea.

(She wouldn’t. Of course she wouldn’t. The whole idea was preposterous.)

(Right..?)