Chapter Text
i.
The first one Kurosaki Ichigo sees when he wakes is neither the steely eyes of his enemies nor the ones of his soon-to-be master, Wei Wuxian.
Instead, it is the crazed ones of one Jiang Huishan.
“I’m going to show that infuriating brat exactly what I can do… I’ll show him how you’re going to be the strongest, finest blade I’ve ever crafted…” And all that creepy murmuring is punctuated by a large hammer lifted over Ichigo’s new steel body, cloth-protected hands wrapped firmly around Ichigo’s base all the while.
He shrieks bloody murder and damn well aims a kick at the creep’s face.
Jiang Huishan, resident loonybin, cum the Jiang Sect’s best swordsmith, is instantly knocked out cold.
ii.
Jiang Huishan, Ichigo learns grimly, is a double-faced man without awareness of his own faults.
“I’m sorry. I must have scared you when you were just born.” Jiang Huishan spoke with a cloth brought to his bleeding nose – and that’s after Ichigo had tried to smack him awake to no avail, dashing out the doors to find a different era and different world entirely, and… let’s just say he walked back with a straight face, shutting all doors behind him.
“People say that I’m different when I’m forging a sword.” Jiang Huishan manages a smile that’s entirely too akin to Hanataro’s, weak and fragile. It’s Aizen-levels of fucked up that he had reminded Ichigo of a mix between Kenpachi and Mayuri just minutes ago, in the forging place. “I-If you could return to the forging place, I’d like to complete your main body.”
Now, there’s that creepy glint he had seen a moment earlier.
“Hell no.” Ichigo shudders, narrowing his eyes at him. “And what do you mean by a main body?” He demands.
“A-All will be clear when your forging is complete.” Jiang Huishan ducks his head nervously, but the fact that he doesn’t falter under Ichigo’s threatening hand is telling enough. “Please return to the forging room, oh nameless one. I’ll explain while I am crafting your details.”
Spoiler: Jiang Huishan returns into Kenpachi-mode when he’s wielding Ichigo’s ‘main body’ in his hands. Ichigo gleans no information in the time he’s being molested by a hammer.
iii.
There are three things Kurosaki Ichigo learns one week into awakening – or, well. Other than the three million miscellaneous things there are to learn around here anyways.
1) He’s in some sort of pre-historic era in China, with the tongue of a Chinese since he was crafted by one.
2) He’s what they call a sword spirit, something used by cultivators for exorcism, and isn’t that just fucking ironic?
3) He has most likely died back in Soul Society, which really, isn’t that surprising after the onslaught of yet another war.
Ichigo is used to it. So, he has been reborn as another weapon in the hands of a meek-looking man with a Kenpachi-esque persona during forging? Yeah, he thinks he can handle most of that, so long as Jiang Huishan stays far away from him during forging.
That aside, he has learnt some new things about Jiang Huishan too in the midst of that one week.
“The other people can’t see you. It is just me and those of my bloodline who are able to do so.” Jiang Huishan tells him, feet tucked under him in a shy dogeza, back hunching forward as if in mid-bow, when really, it’s just a slouch. Ichigo imagines it’s the weight of the judgement from others accumulated over the years.
“Must be tough.” He comments wryly.
And Jiang Huishan looks as if it’s the first time anyone is empathizing with him, all wide eyes and startled jolt.
“I better enjoy my time here while I can then.” Ichigo gruffly says around another mouthful of meatbun. He looks down at the book Jiang Huishan has parted on the table before him, and the tea Jiang Huishan has prepared for him. He remembers going around helping spirits at Jiang Huishan's age. “Can’t enjoy any more food or touch other objects without you around when you’re gone.”
Jiang Huishan breaks down into tears, moved by the first sword spirit he created that actually does not whack him over the head, kick down the paper doors, or scream his ears deaf.
Ichigo gruffly shoves his suffocating hug away from him and wonders who the hell was so fucking unappreciative to their swordsmith.
iv.
Ichigo learns to curse Wei Wuxian the way Jiang Huishan did at their first meeting.
There’s a rap on their door.
Ichigo would open it, if it wouldn’t mean having the letter boy or whoever the hell it is see an empty corridor with a silently sliding door, so instead, he opts for calling out to the guest through the door.
“Who is it?”
“There’s a letter for you, Jiang Huishan!” Returns the voice of a gruff man, starting off slightly hesitant.
Jiang Huishan has warned Ichigo of the rumours spread amongst the people of Yunmeng Jiang. Mostly, they were about Jiang Huishan, the bachelor who lives alone in the big compound inherited from his clan. And the seven wonders surrounding said compound due to, say, voices that do not belong to anyone in the compound, floating objects, attacks and crashes and the occasional accident around here. (Ichigo has never been so grateful that the Kurosaki’s never had a seven wonders of their own.)
“Just leave it out there! We’ll collect it in a second!” Ichigo calls out.
Little did he know, that like the rest of the others assigned to this area, this poor man shudders at the suggestion of ‘we’.
Jiang Huishan has never lived with a servant, and the thought of him bringing back a woman – or a man – is even more laughable. If the voice answering him is not Jiang Huishan, then who could it be…?
“U-Understood!” The man swivels, shifting from disturbed to troubled as he looks down at his baggage. He settles for just putting down the entire bag and running away.
Ichigo listens to the distancing footsteps. He reaches for the door and slides it open just as a huge gust of wind comes blowing through the entrance.
White descends upon Ichigo.
“Wha—”
A warrior Ichigo may be, even he has been defeated numerous times by paperwork.
It ends with a wave of letters and drawings of many sword designs, even the occasional loquat and flower, all crashing into him and scattering around the corridor like offerings.
Ichigo spits out a cherry blossom from his mouth. He glares down at the pile of trash he’ll have to clean up soon enough.
“That brat…” Ichigo picks up a letter, brow twitching as he looks down.
‘Hurry it up already, Master Huishan, please! I’ll do anything!’
'It's been five days. Three more till the end of your dateline!'
‘See, in the time you’ve been taking to forge, I already have a list of names I can give my sword here!’ Says another note.
‘Jasmine’ Says one more.
‘Princess’ Ichigo’s finger twitches.
‘Anything!’
Wei Wuxian, Ichigo decides, is an infuriating brat indeed.
He knows all the best and stupidest ways to piss a person off.
(And Ichigo finds himself just the slightest charmed by his wielder’s enthusiasm towards meeting him, even if he’s wary that Wei Wuxian might turn out to be the biggest, dumbest brat he’s ever met.)
v.
Ichigo was right.
Wei Wuxian is the biggest, dumbest brat he’s ever met.
“Suibian!” Wei Wuxian cheers with a finger lifted the first instance his main body’s brought into sight. Ichigo twitches. He damn well pops a vein at his new name. “It’s my Suibian! Look, Uncle, A-Cheng!”
He clamours and cheers even though he hasn’t even touched him.
And Ichigo had very well been at the end of his rope when Jiang Huishan sent a letter back not once, not twice, but five times just to confirm. Do you really want your new sword to be named Suibian? ‘Anything’ might not be a good name. What has Jiang Sect Leader said about it? The reply had only came with one affirmative: Yes! It’d be a good distraction tactic! That sounds like a load of freaking bullshit to Ichigo’s ears.
And so. There’re now those two stupid words carved into him. ‘Suibian.’
Jiang Huishan had apologized to him with teary eyes when he was lowering Ichigo to the forging table. Ichigo hadn’t really focused much on his tears then, because more important was –
(“Your hand! Be careful of your hand!” He’d hissed, amber eyes wide as he looked at the hammer shaking taut in Jiang Huishan’s deceivingly strong hand. That is going to scratch Ichigo’s steel body! Jiang Huishan himself had looked on the verge of snapping.
“I-If I have to ruin a masterpiece of my own,” Ichigo hadn’t wanted to hear the rest. “I-I-I might as well-!”
And Jiang Huishan had burst into pitiful sobs. Ichigo had kind of wanted to cry as well.
The words 'Suibian' glow bright on his collarbone when he wakes.)
Really, isn’t it enough that his appearance is a laughing stock in his past lives? Now, he has to be mocked for his name too?
Contrary to his careless countenance, Wei Wuxian’s grip is firm around him, almost skilful in nature. Jiang Huishan smiles meekly at Ichigo’s questioning look, ignoring the confused looks of the people around him. He angles a nervous nod in the direction of the Sect Leader, half in greeting, half in reply to Ichigo's question. The Sect leader must have taught these kids a lot from a young age to prevent death by assassination from other clans. Hm.
“Aren’t you lucky,” The purple brat snarks, looking away with a jealous huff. “From now on, you get to practice with an actual sword. Your skills will increase much faster.”
“What are you,” Wei Wuxian grins cheekily, prodding his brother. “Jealous?”
“D-Don’t speak nonsense!” Jiang Cheng snaps.
And Wei Wuxian throws his head back with a loud and hearty laugh.
Ichigo just wants to hurry up and get on with this.
“With this, from now on, I’d become more capable of protecting you and Shijie!” Wei Wuxian smacks Jiang Cheng in the back, tossing his younger brother forward. “Aren’t you glad about that?”
“Who would?!” Jiang Cheng splutters, narrowing his eyes. “I’m a man too! I’d much rather do the protecting than be the one protected!”
“Come on now. You know you wanna be protected by me!” Wei Wuxian teases. He barks out another laugh as he ducks Jiang Cheng’s fist. The two children race about the yard outside Jiang Huishan’s house, all clamour and threats tossed at each other. It reminds Ichigo distantly of Rukia and Renji and himself. Despite himself, Ichigo feels the furrows in his brows lighten as he stands invisible to them, watching over the children.
Jiang Huishan smiles. Ignoring the rumours about him, he calls out to him.
“Suibian!”
Wei Wuxian pauses, arms still wrapped around Ichigo’s sheathe.
Ichigo reaches down and ruffles his hand through the brat’s unruly mess of hair while he still can in Jiang Huishan’s presence. Wei Wuxian blinks, wide-eyed. He trails a hand up to the top of his head, wondering with wide-eyed awe what that was. That amount of force certainly hadn’t felt like the wind or anything remotely natural.
“What is it?” He grumbles.
Jiang Huishan beams.
“From now on, please take good care of Young Master Wei!” He bows.
Ichigo rolls his eyes and lifts one hand in farewell.
“Take care of yourself too. Don’t let yourself be pushed around.”
Jiang Huishan flushes lightly at the reminder. He ducks his head, tossing out the truth (“I-I’m speaking to Suibian, a-as you can see.”) when the Jiang Sect Leader questions him lightly, more puzzled than judgemental. As always, nobody believes him. …or is that the case?
Ichigo eyes the young boy by his side, Wei Wuxian’s gaze lifted searchingly in his direction.
He scoffs but he follows them home.