52/67, Ukitake/Starrk please 🙂

brinttwin2

(52: Marriage of Convenience, 67: Character in Peril, Ukitake/Starrk)

“Ukitake-taicho, remain behind,” the Soutaicho orders as soon as the meeting ends.

Jyuushiro casts a glance at Shunsui, but his old friend just shakes his head, clearly at as much of a loss as he is.

“I’ll be waiting outside,” Shunsui murmurs as he drifts past Jyuushiro, hand reaching out to brush support-comfort-belief against Jyuushiro’s arm.

Jyuushiro inclines his head, trying to keep his thoughts from spiraling; why had he been singled out? He hadn’t done anything of note lately, just… kept mostly to the Ugendo, recovering from the Winter War alongside his guest, and… well…

(Ah.)

(Right.)

(Starrk’s reiryoku had recently recovered enough to be sensed, hadn’t it?)

(Hmm… he should probably consider upgrading his wards.)

The Soutaicho waits for the doors to swing closed once more, leaving them alone in an empty, echoing room. And then he keeps waiting, hands clasped over his cane, cold gaze fixed on Jyuushiro, and lets the silence stretch-stretch-stretch between them until it nearly sings.

But Jyuushiro is no longer a child, is no longer in awe of the man who taught him everything.

He’s grown since then.

He stays silent.

His old teacher breaks first, a frustrated huff the only indication that this isn’t how the old man planned it to go. “You have been sheltering an enemy of Seireitei in your very home,” he starts, voice cold-flat-dangerous.

Jyuushiro purses his lips. “He wasn’t keen on fighting even when Aizen ordered him to. He’s still not keen on fighting. He just… wants somewhere safe to rest.”

“It is an Arrancar,” the Soutaicho says with narrowed eyes. “The strongest in Aizen’s army, if reports of their ranks are to be believed. Whether or not it wanted to fight at Aizen’s command, its nature is not to be ignored. You put every person in Soul Society in danger by sheltering this Hollow and its partner.”

“He’s no danger to anyone unless he’s attacked first,” Jyuushiro tries, already knowing that the attempt is useless. His teacher has been fighting for longer than Jyuushiro has been alive, has met more Hollows and more threats than Jyuushiro ever has, and will not be so easily swayed.

(That he’s starting to understand that maybe his teacher is too old, too set in his ways, is something he will never say to the man’s face.)

(Powerful as he’s grown, he’s still no match for the man on his own.)

“That was not a request. Enough is enough, Ukitake-san,” the Soutaicho declares, staring up at him with sharp-hard-ruthless eyes. “The Hollow must either leave or be killed. You have until tomorrow morning. Dismissed.”

“I understand,” Jyuushiro murmurs as he bows, mind already whirling with thoughts.

(He refuses to kill Starrk, refuses to betray the man like that no matter how much Starrk probably expects it.)

(But… Starrk is still wounded.)

(Lilynette is still wounded.)

(Sending them back to Hueco Mundo is this state is just as much a death sentence as killing them is.)

(He refuses to do that.)

(He refuses.)

He strides from the meeting hall, barely sparing a glance for Shunsui as the man falls into step with him, and sets himself on the path back to the Ugendo. He needs a plan, needs a method of circumventing the Soutaicho’s orders that can’t be refuted. Something that won’t be too onerous on either of them, if possible, and that protects Lilynette at the same time.

Unfortunately, only one thing comes to mind.

Marriage.

(Well… maybe this will finally stop his family from nagging.)

(The horror will, at least.)

“That bad, then?” Shunsui asks as soon as they leave the more populated areas of Seireitei.

Jyuushiro grimaces and casts a sidelong look at Shunsui. “That obvious?”

“You’re practically fuming,” Shunsui teases, body swaying closer on his next step and his shoulder bumping against Jyuushiro’s. “Need any help?”

“How quickly can you arrange all the correct marriage paperwork and someone to seal it?”

Shunsui chokes and casts him a look that’s pure shocked hilarity. “Marriage?” he forces out, then immediately dissolves into laughter. “You… you…! Hah! And people call you the nice one.”

“I am perfectly nice,” Jyuushiro refutes haughtily, even as he kicks Shunsui’s calf and sends the man stumbling into a wall. “I will apologize to everyone for the lack of notice, of course, but I simply cannot allow my dearest to be banished when I’ve only just found him—”

“Are you even listening to yourself?” Shunsui crows as he shoves away from the wall and knocks their shoulders together hard enough to make Jyuushiro stumble. “‘My dearest’, hah! You are such a liar.”

Jyuushiro loops a foot around Shunsui’s ankle and trips him, smirking at the dramatic way Shunsui flails in an attempt to retain his balance. “Everyone but you will believe me,” he tells his friend smugly. “After all, I’m the nice one.”

“I have no idea how the hell you’ve managed to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes for so long,” Shunsui deadpans as he straightens up and adjusts his sakkat. “You’re worse than me.”

“I don’t flirt and profess my love to every pretty face that wanders past. And is it any surprise I’ve fallen for the man? A month in close proximity, both of us recovering from injuries, nearly alone for most of that time… why, how could I have ever resisted?” Jyuushiro says with as innocent an expression as he can muster.

“You are such a liar,” Shunsui repeats fondly. “I’ll get you your damn paperwork and officiant. You better let me be one of your damn witnesses though, or I’ll hide all your tea.”

“I know where you keep your liquor stash,” Jyuushiro threatens with an arched eyebrow, amused at the way Shunsui pouts in reaction. “Of course you’re going to be involved. Who else would agree to this scheme?”

Shunsui shrugs and flashes him a grin. “I’m sure you could convince someone.”

Jyuushiro huffs and makes a shooing motion. “Go on, off with you. Get my paperwork together. I have a husband-to-be to propose to.”

“Yes, yes. Do try not to scare him off before I get back, hmm?”

“Go,” Jyuushiro repeats, giving his best friend a look that sends the man into another fit of laughter. He rolls his eyes and turns away, already working on how best to explain everything to Starrk when—

Shunsui’s arms wrap around him from behind and the man tucks his face into the side of Jyuushiro’s neck. “Be careful,” he murmurs soft-warm-loving as his arms tighten a bit. “If you need anything, anything at all—”

Jyuushiro reaches up to thread his fingers through Shunsui’s hair. “We’ll come to you first,” he reassures. “If this doesn’t work out…”

“Urahara kept himself and a bunch of other escapees safe for almost a century,” Shunsui nearly whispers. “We’ll run to him and figure it out from there.”

Jyuushiro’s fingers tighten before he remembers himself and he forces his hand away from his friend’s hair. He’s not against the idea at all — in fact, now that Shunsui’s mentioned it, he’s going to suggest Urahara as one of Starrk’s other options — but… it’s a reminder. A reminder of how easily blinded they had all been, controlled by a traitor who wanted to rule everything. Every memory he has is suspect, every interaction with Aizen potentially fake, and he’ll never know.

(For the longest time, his mind was the only thing he could rely on, the only part of his body not ruined by the illness that has controlled his life for as long as he can remember, and…)

(Now he can’t even rely on his mind.)

(He… tries not to dwell.)

(Starrk’s presence has helped so much…)

Shunsui slowly pulls away, reluctance practically screaming from him, and it takes a moment for his habitual mask of cheer to return.

Jyuushiro cherishes the sight for all it hurts.

(He remembers when Shunsui didn’t hide all the time, when glimpses past his mask were easier to spot, easier to coax free—)

(Time has done none of them any favors.)

“I’ll be back soon,” Shunsui promises, then vanishes in a burst of shunpo.

Jyuushiro stares after him for a moment longer, then turns away.

He has a proposal to make and little time to do it in.