“Well, that meeting went better than expected,” Kisuke said as soon as the… servants? Probably servants… filed out of the room and closed the door behind them; while he appreciated the thought behind bringing in a larger bed and a large tub for them to wash up in, he wished it wasn’t so obvious that everyone expected them to sleep in the same room.

Erich hummed in absent agreement as he dug through one of his bags and stacked everything into piles to the side. “I told you there was nothing to worry about.”

Kisuke grimaced and rubbed at the back of his neck, thinking back to the knowing look that Eris had shot them as she left; he really doubted that things were as clear-cut as Erich seemed to hope, but it also didn’t seem like the man’s parents were angry about the charade.

(If anything, they seemed… oddly pleased?)

(Everyone seemed to think it was so obvious that Erich loved him, but was it truly?)

(Wasn’t it just the same type of love-care-affection that he had for Tessai, for Yoruichi, for Benihime: powerful but entirely platonic?)

Kisuke took a careful breath and let it out again, tucking his hopes-worries-desires away once more; he couldn’t afford to be distracted by his own foolishness, not with how dangerous the situation could become at a moment’s notice. He could do this. It was just one more mission to get through.

(Just a mission.)

(That was all.)

“So, what’s our plan now?” Kisuke asked once he’d shunted his emotions aside and finally felt like he could breathe again.

Alexis settled on the bed and bent over to start unlacing her boots. “Those two who brought the bed in aren’t going to be able to resist gossiping, and everyone knows that you were originally a Shinigami guild member.”

“Which will start the rumors going, unfortunately,” Erich agreed as he tossed his bag aside and knelt to start unlacing his own boots. “I’d hoped to avoid anything getting out before Father announced us.”

“Hoping for no rumors was a long-shot,” Kisuke pointed out. “The minute I rode in with the two of you and didn’t ride immediately back out again, there were bound to be some rumors.”

Erich huffed in annoyance as he pried his boots off and tossed them towards the wall by the door. “I hate big guild politics,” he muttered as he straightened up and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, regardless, the rumors will start the cracks forming, which is good enough. I expect that tomorrow will be the start of formal discussions on how and where to split.”

Kisuke arched an eyebrow at that, thinking back to the earlier conversation and to Lucia’s comment about being fitted for wedding outfits. “Not anything wedding related?” he couldn’t help but ask.

“That probably won’t happen for a while,” Alexis answered with a wry smile, then hummed softly and added, “Or maybe it will, I’m not sure.” Her brows furrowed as she tipped her head back to stare up at the ceiling for a moment, then she huffed and said, “I could make an argument either way. It’s important to get the guild out of the situation we’re in, but you could argue that the three of us marrying is also important in a way, at least as a symbol. It will make the sides clearer, in a way.”

“Those that support you, those that are somewhat neutral, and those who hate my very existence,” Kisuke supplied.

Erich snorted. “Those who are willing to look past who you were, those who vaguely hate you on principle, and the die-hards who hate all Shinigami, even former Shinigami,” he corrected dryly. “There are very, very few guild members who have any kind feelings towards Shinigami. Even my father doesn’t like them; he only likes you because you’ve proven over the years that you no longer hold to their beliefs.”

Kisuke took a careful breath at the reminder of his exile — the reminder of his failure — and shoved the dull ache aside in order to focus on Erich’s words; he’d known that the antipathy between their guilds was bad, but for every Quincy to feel it…

(Had he contributed to it when he was younger?)

(Had he killed Quincy without knowing it?)

(Was part of this his fault?)

Erich’s hand closed around his elbow, fingertips digging into his arm and jarring him from his spiraling thoughts, and the look Erich gave him was all concern-question-worry that didn’t abate even when he shook his head.

“Kisuke…”

“Maa, just… thinking,” Kisuke tried to deflect. “I never quite realized how pervasive the hatred was.”

Erich eyes narrowed slightly and he hesitated, as if debating calling Kisuke out on the deflection, before shaking his head and saying, “It’s less now than it was when I was young. There’s been sort of a… wary truce of sorts between our guilds at last, though I’m not sure why.”

“You two sure it wasn’t because of you?” Alexis asked in amusement as she set her boots by the bed and crossed her legs under her. “Though I suppose it’s been building for longer than that.”

Kisuke coughed. “Us?” he asked in disbelief. “We— we’re not— I mean—”

Erich clicked his tongue and moved closer until his body was a line of solid warmth against Kisuke’s side. “I never formally renounced being a Quincy,” he pointed out. “So the fact that I was willing to work with you—”

“I was exiled!” Kisuke yelped, twisting around to face Erich properly even if it meant he lost the comfort of the man’s touch. “You know what I was accused of! How would you joining my guild help anything?!”

Erich stared at him, gaze calculating, and said, “I joined your guild because you did everything in your power to save Jinta and Ururu, and then you took them in, even though you had no idea how to deal with young children. I knew full well that you were a former Shinigami when I joined, and I never intended to stay longer than it took to make sure that you treated those children well, but…” he hesitated, then pulled his shoulders back and continued, “You grew on me after a while, so I stayed. And by doing that, I drew attention to the fact that individual Shinigami could be more than just their guild.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Kisuke muttered in exasperation, as he reached up to rub at his face. He’d known Erich’s initial reason for staying from the very start — the man hadn’t exactly been subtle about his general dislike, even if he’d kept it in check around Jinta and Ururu — but the idea that Erich’s acceptance of an exiled Shinigami could have been enough to influence other Quincy…

Alexis chuckled softly and leaned forward, her expression unbearably kind as she said, “Your existence did help some, I’m not joking about that, but you certainly aren’t the only reason. When that old man the Shinigami keep as their guildmaster finally stepped back a year or so ago, that cute student of his took his place at official gathers and things began to go significantly smoother.”

“Cute… student…?” Kisuke repeated weakly, trying to decide if he wanted to laugh or cry at the description of Ukitake Jyuushiro as a ‘cute student’; he only remembered the man as one of the bold-bright-powerful figures that he’d been hurled into the midst of without even a by-your-leave. He’d never known the man long enough to become even slightly comfortable around him, especially given the favor the Soutaicho always silently showed him.

(That was his fate.)

(Always an outsider, even amongst his own people.)

(Always.)

Alexis flashed him a cheerful-smug-teasing smile and said, “Well he is. He’s very good at pretending to be less dangerous than he really is, and it helps. He’s also a bit of a soft touch if you know how to approach him, and doesn’t seem to approve of the previous violence between our guilds. He’s a bit hamstrung because he’s still not the guildmaster proper, but he’s doing his best.”

“Please tell me you’ve never called him cute to his face,” Kisuke murmured weakly, trying to picture how Ukitake would react to that and coming up with too many scenarios to count. He didn’t think Ukitake would take it poorly, but he’d never spent enough time around him to fully pin down his reactions; for all he knew, Ukitake might find it offensive to be labeled ‘cute’.

It was doubtful, given his displayed temperament, but it was still possible.

(After all, hadn’t Aizen fooled most of them for years?)

(What’s to say other Shinigami weren’t doing the exact same?)

Alexis laughed and shook her head. “No, I’d never dare,” she admitted easily. “I don’t really know a single thing about him, and I’d rather not risk the current unspoken truce by offending him.”

“Well, I doubt we’ll have to worry about the Shinigami for a while; rumor had them all retreating to their stronghold right before the world went to hell,” Erich said as he turned away and started to undress, tossing his clothes into a corner as he did. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to clean off before the inevitable parading about my father is going to make us do.”

Kisuke swallowed hard and looked away as Erich moved towards the tub, desperately reminding himself that this was nothing unusual, that he’d seen Erich undressed before, that he’d shared a room with him before, that it still meant nothing and he shouldn’t be bothered by it but—

But he couldn’t help remembering the brush of Erich’s lips against his knuckles, and the look in Erich’s eyes as he stared up at Kisuke through his lashes, concern-care-warmth that Kisuke never expected to be directed at him like that. Their relationship was a sham, he understood that, but… the knowledge didn’t help, didn’t make the desire to touch any less powerful—

Kisuke froze.

Alexis was watching him, her gaze considering and a tiny, smug smirk curling one corner of her lips.

He swallowed again. Looked away from both of them. Tried to rein his emotions in as best he could before he offended either of them.

(He didn’t want to fail, didn’t want to be thrown aside so soon!)

(He needed to control himself.)

(He could do this.)

(He would.)

(There was no other option.)