Work Text:
ーIs this actually necessary?
ーAs a matter of fact? Yes, Substitute Soul Reaper, it is.
ーYou could just call me Ichigo.
ーAddress me with the proper respect, Substitute Soul Reaper.
The day was nice. The skies were clear, pristine and pretty, a wonderful and calm sight to behold. The Sun was shining with all its glory over everyone, and a few were even taking out fans to refresh themselves. Summer was slowly but surely making its way into Soul Society, and it was certainly making itself known.
In such a wonderful day, Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki had decided to go over the Seireitei and pay a visit to his closest acquaintances, admitting to Urahara how much he missed them and their shenanigans together after so long. Rukia's encouraging presence, Renji's friendly banter, Yumichika's beauty scoldings, even Toshiro's coldness. It was a great plan, just walk in, say hi, maybe have a few drinks, then go back home where his sisters would be waiting for him.
Except he found himself in the middle of an unexpected crisis, and was now taking on a far more serious job he wasn't sure he could complete unharmed.
Walking to his side with hurried steps was the small black haired Captain, the elegant yet deadly assassin Sui-Feng, Master of stealth and speed surpassed only by Yoruichi. Her mere presence felt like a considerable threat, as the few times Ichigo had dealt with her it was to be murdered under her orders.
Things were different this time, however, but that didn't mean they were any better. Ichigo had accidentally walked right into a banter between her and her lieutenant, and somehow he had gotten involved, or rather he had gotten dragged into it. The Captain Commander was also there and had found a good middle term for their fight: straight out separate them for a day. Omaeda would take on a different job Ichigo didn't quite get, while Sui-Feng continued her duties without him. But the moment she had protested she still needed someone to help her out, the Head Captain had pointed to Ichigo.
Said and done, he was a lieutenant for a day now. And with the one Captain that hated him the most.
ーOnce we get to the barracks, there's a stack of papers I need you to revise and stamp. Do not sign them, no one will take them seriously if they see your name on the papers.
ーMy name isn't all that bad-
ーDon't talk back to me, and yes, it is. You're still a joke in terms of actual rank. Also, I heard your calligraphy isn't worth the risk of seeing it.
At this, the orange haired man yelped.
ーExcuse you, who said that about my writing!? It's not bad at all!
ーWhat did I say about talking back!? You're disobeying me already!
A second later, the Substitute Soul Reaper found himself being violently plummeted to the ground with a punch and a kick he had no idea where they came from. Compared to Rukia, though? He could take it. With a groan and a muttered curse, he got back up and cleaned the dust off his clothes, his frown deepening with the new stinging pain on his back. The Captain stared at him with her arms crossed over her almost non-existent chest, scoffing to one side when he stood tall for good.
ーWell, you can take a beating decently. First point to you.
ーOf course I can, have you seen the kind of stuff I've done for you guys before?
ーSassy, huh? Do you need another hit?
ーI do not.ー he grunted, then looked away. ーWhy did you even agree to take me in to begin with? We don't even get along.
Sui-Feng coughed, then frowned at him.
ーYou heard the Head Captain.
ーGeez…
ーWe're here.
The duo was now standing in front of the huge main doors of Squad 2, the kanji with the number exhibiting their importance proudly. Ichigo scratched the back of his head as he waited for the smaller Shinigami to go over them and knock the password, which he wasn't allowed to hear. A few seconds later, the wooden monuments swiftly slid open, and Sui-Feng scoffed at the orange haired man to walk in.
The barracks were practically a sanctuary of silence. Not a single soul crossed their way, or not physically, at least. Ichigo noticed, after squinting a bit, the flashing shadows going over the halls and walls, never once leaving them completely alone. He suspected these were security measures for having a stranger in their barracks, but he couldn't deny it felt uncomfortable and kind of excessive.
ーI hope you're not questioning my squad members.
The Substitute Soul Reaper jumped in surprise.
ーWha- I- can you read minds or something?
ーAnswer the question.
ー...maybe I was. A little.
ーDon't do that. You wouldn't understand our true motives.
As she scolded him, she made her way to her office and quickly slid the paper doors open, again motioning for her replacement Lieutenant to walk in. This time Ichigo seemed faster, however, and she huffed in acknowledgement.
Before she could turn around, though, Ichigo's annoying voice chirped in, interrupting her peace and the orders she intended to give next.
ーIf these are the papers I'm supposed to stamp, then damn, Omaeda really does a terrible job. No offense.
The Captain blinked.
ー...indeed, his work is extremely deficient, to say the least. He claims he works better under pressure, but I haven't seen him actually finish something himself.
ーWhy is he still your Lieutenant, then…?
ーReasons.
ーAh. I see.
Silence fell between them, and Ichigo obliviously wandered his eyes around the room, inspecting his new work place for the day. A smack to the back of his head broke his analysis to an abrupt end, sadly.
ーWho gave you permission to marvel at my office?! Sit down and get to work!
ーAlright, alright, I got it, damnit!ー he yelled back, waving his hand around in an attempt to quell the Captain's irritation.
Moving around the room, he settled down on one of the pillows and grabbed a quarter of the stack of papers, gently lowering it and snatching a brush and ink from the closest drawer. Sui Feng observed him closely, then went to sit down on her own pillow and desk.
ーLike I said, don't sign them.ー she began ーDo the stamp of Squad 2, then leave them to the side. I'll get someone to deliver them later. Just do your part correctly.
At this, Ichigo's head perked up from behind the mountain of documents.
ーIf I finish this quickly enough, I could go deliver them myself.
Sui Feng narrowed her eyes.
ーYou could? What a surprise.
ーWhat's surprising about it?
ーI didn't see you as the diligent type. Very well, depends on how fast you get them done. I don't expect much from you anyway. Don't try to impress me.
ーYou're very cold with your subordinates.
ーWork.ー with this last cutting sentence, the Captain dived into her readings and consequently ignored Ichigo from there on.
The Substitute Lieutenant sighed, then began checking the files on his side.
Who would've thought being a Lieutenant would be so boring? All of Omaeda's duties revolved around stamping papers and moving them around barracks, though by the looks of it, he didn't even do that. Every once in a while, Ichigo would glance around himself and check the room, and every time he would be met with the same ambient: Sui Feng concentrated on her work, writing reports and reading stuff, the sound of clashing swords from afar, probably training Soul Reapers, and the occasional appearance of a bird or two on the closest window. Tranquility was all around them, something he wasn't exactly picturing at first. He thought Captains dealt with extreme missions, or were in important meetings, making classified plans to improve Soul Society's defenses.
Instead, all Sui Feng and Omaeda seemed to do was sign papers. He didn't want to think the Gotei 13's inner workings were so lame, but there wasn't much proof that stated otherwise.
With a long disappointed sigh, he lowered his head and began reading the next file. However, Ichigo found himself in front of a document he wasn't quite expecting. There were numbers he didn't understand at first, and red values by the end of it. This got his attention, and taking a white piece of paper from his drawer, he began to do the accounting by hand. Something was wrong.
ーUh, Sui Feng, I think you should take a look at this.
The woman lifted her head and silently judged him with her glare.
ーIt's Captain Sui Feng for you. Now, what is it? You better not be wasting my time.
ーNo, no, I think there's a huge mistake on this file, and it involves your Squad's budget, so I thought-
ーWhat? Give me that.
The orange haired man quickly stood up and offered her the paper, which she snatched from his hand almost violently and read it thoroughly at least three times. Ichigo nervously fidgeted to her side, awaiting her next words questioningly.
ーWhere's the mistake you're talking about? I sense something wrong too but I don't see it.
ーUh, over here, I think.ー he pointed at a specific line and traced his finger over it, reciting the calculations he had done as he did so. ーThis file is from this month, but these expenses are reported twice before, in March and July. I'm not sure if it's included in your budget or…?
ーNo, we were supposed to invest that once. Bring over the papers from March and July, and don't take long. They should be-
ーThey're right behind this one. I brought them just in case.
Sui Feng lifted her eyebrows, then frowned again.
ーOh, you thought about it already. That makes this faster. So, who authorized these expenses…
It took them a few minutes to figure out what was out of place, and the Captain ordered for Ichigo to leave the matter on her hands. They would get the refund they needed, she just had to undo Omaeda's careless mistake.
The Substitute Soul Reaper scratched the back of his head at her words.
ーIs it possible for you to fix that? I mean, this is a formal document, signed months ago. There's a lot of stuff to do before-
ーIt's not the first time this has happened. I'll just go and inform the Captain Commander of the mistake in the signature and we'll get our resources back.
ー...but what explanation will you give for the mistake?
ーOmaeda did it.
Ichigo made a confused sound before yelling.
ーWait, so you guys can just, do whatever? No formal procedure? No safety measures? No bureaucracy?!
ーStop yelling and get back to work!
ーIs this the reason why you all are so unorganized in everything you do!?
ーWho are you calling unorganized? Are you attempting to insult our pride?
ーNo, not your pride, Sui Feng, but you guys should really be more careful with where your money goes. If you act like this with those resources, then how do you handle your own men? How do you handle where everyone goes, what they do, how they work? This right here might be the reason why three traitor Captains slipped past your eyes so easily!
The smaller Captain listened to his complains in silence, her stare never once wavering and sending daggers his way mercilessly. By the time he was finished, she had stood up, crossed her arms over her chest, and frowned in a way that could make him jealous with how deep it was.
ー Are you done? ー she spat.
Ichigo exhaled deeply.
ーYes. I am.
ーGet back to work.
Before the orange haired Soul Reaper could protest or say anything at all, the Captain turned around and left the room, the papers firmly held on her hand. The door snapped shut faster than Ichigo could process, and he was left alone in the room with the order lingering over him.
The Substitute Lieutenant growled under his breath, then paced around the cramped space nervously. When he accepted he couldn't do anything to let go of his emotions or fix the cause of his frustration, he decided to simply be of use and settle down to finish whatever was left of work for the day. The faster he did, the sooner he would be able to go home.
The stack of papers was quickly moved from one side of the desk to the opposite, the files being signed diligently by the lonely Soul Reaper. His sense of duty, however, still forced him to leave a third group of files to another side, which were the ones he didn't know how to solve, like similar budget problems, important stuff, among others. He was salty about the entire thing, but that didn't mean he would mess it up for the Captain. He had been assigned the role of a Lieutenant, he wasn't planning to blow it up.
About an hour later, Sui Feng was making her way back to the barracks, her hands twitching as they carried the fixed papers, wanting to crush them instead of keeping them. Silently, she was mentally preparing to face the insubordinate Substitute Soul Reaper, angered by how he dared to talk down on the Gotei 13. He was ranked below the weakest Soul Reaper; all he was was a Substitute, and nothing else. How could he think he knew more of the Seireitei's problems than her, than any of them? He was no one to say such things nor make any valid judgement.
Sighing deeply when she found herself in front of the paper doors of her office, she made up her mind and slid them open with her characteristic speed. Promptly, she walked into the room and breathed in, ready to scold Ichigo for his behavior.
ーWhat now? All that time, and you haven't even finished the papers I left you?ー she demanded, placing her furious hand on the tallest stack of reports. ーI said you weren't fit for this job, Substitute Soul Reaper, and this proves…! Huh?
ーAlright, alright, I'm getting used to your tone already. This is the part where you realize you're arguing over finished papers, Captain.
The black haired woman could only stare in absolute silence as she noticed the signature of Squad 2 on the files, proving that all of them were actually done. In disbelief, she began checking them over, confirming how they were correctly stamped and processed.
The orange haired man was calmly laying down on the carpet, his hands resting behind his head with a cool attitude Sui Feng couldn't understand.
ーI'm done, Sui Feng. Where do I deliver them?
The small Captain gaped, at a loss of words.
ーAh… done? All of them? So quickly?
ーOh, uh, I mean, there's this small group over here.ー standing up and handing over the shorter stack, Ichigo made a tiny chuckling sound that betrayed his intentions to hide his nervousness. ーI didn't know how to take care of these, so I left them to one side for when you came back. There are three other budget problems, a report I don't think it's completed…
Sui Feng recomposed herself as the orange haired man spoke, and she raised her hand before he could finish to request his silence. Ichigo seemed to notice her gesture, and quietly stared at her expectantly.
ーI don't say this often, so listen carefully.
He nodded.
ーI… must congratulate you for your work and for impressing me in a good way. I didn't think you were the responsible kind. You… can take a break. Then I'll let you go deliver the files.
Ichigo's expression suddenly shifted from emotionless to surprised, then to relief. He smiled tenderly, though his scowl made it seem more dangerous than kind.
ーI don't get compliments like those often, so thanks, Captain.
ーThat's surprising. You're much more well behaved than I expected. Your mother raised you well.
This was the moment when Sui Feng witnessed, for the very first time, what seemed like a sorrowful look on the younger Shinigami. More than sorrow, it was a look of nostalgia, of a hidden pain. There was an emotion she knew far too well inside those brown orbs, a mixture of pride, pleased resignation, but also of mourning and guilt.
ーShe… would've been honored to hear that... thank you, Captain.
The woman couldn't find the formal words to talk to him in that moment. Her mind dropped her barriers for a minute, and hunting questions rose to the surface. Wasn't this man just a kid? Hadn't he faced the most terrible horrors of war already?
...where had his mom been all this time?
ーHey, Substitute… would you mind taking a seat?
Instead of responding, orange hair swayed softly as the man flopped down on the pillows once more. He absently let his eyes wonder, waiting for the Captain to find her own pillow and sit down in front of him, her elegant demeanor never once wavering. He could see how her eyes scanned the ground, as if looking for the appropriate words to say next. Ichigo scratched the back of his head as he waited.
He felt the atmosphere of a serious conversation approaching.
ーI sense… sadness from you suddenly. I hope it's not because you feel like I'm treating you badly.
ーNo, not exactly.
Sui Feng sighed in annoyance.
ーYou might be a Substitute Lieutenant, but you're a guest nonetheless. I'm open to listen to your complains as thanks for your outstanding work.
The man narrowed his eyes slightly, internally freaking out at the sudden change in demeanor from the shorter Soul Reaper. He gave a cough to hide his confusion and clear his thoughts before answering.
ーI appreciate the sentiment, ma'am.
He paused.
ー...so? Would you like to talk or get yourself kicked back to work?
ーSui Feng, your empathy skills are terrible.
ーPerks of my own backstory. Nothing you should worry about.
ーThe so-called sadness you felt in me is also a perk of my backstory, yet you're worrying, aren't you?
Sui Feng yelped.
ーI- I just said you're a guest. I'm being cordial by worrying!
Ichigo seemed to huff a laugh as he closed his eyes. His scowl became almost non existent for his next words, and Sui Feng had to resist the gasp at how damn young Ichigo suddenly became.
"How old was he again?"
ーYou're the Captain of secrets and spies and intels. I'm guessing you already know this, but it's better to have information from the original source, isn't it?
She stayed silent this time. Ichigo took this as an invitation to continue.
ーMy mother died when I was little. Hearing you say she raised me well made me think of her.
(Sui Feng did not know of that.)
The Captain found herself at another loss of words, which was starting to become extremely bothersome.
The Substitute Soul Reaper knew it would be shocking to hear at first, or at least he guessed it would be, so he didn't mind the way his partner's face contorted in realization, nor the silence that accompanied them for quite a few minutes. It seemed like she was unaware of that fact about himself. Internally, a small, creeping regret began to make its way to his mind. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to let her know… perhaps he should've kept his private life private.
It took him months to talk about it with Rukia, maybe he had gone too fast this time.
ーSubs… Kurosaki. I'm guessing this isn't a matter you take slightly.
He nodded, and gulped as quietly as he could. Hearing his surname had come as a surprise.
ーMay I ask… how this felt for you?
Ichigo quirked an eyebrow at the question.
ーHow what felt, exactly?
ーThe loss of your mother.ー she paused, then blushed as she re thought her choice of words. ー...a-and may she rest in peace. Forgive my rudeness, it can't be helped.
ーOh, that.ー the orange haired male seemed to think about it for a moment before responding. ーWhat can I really say? It was devastating. For all of us in my family.
She awaited for him to continue, but got no reaction this time. He had closed off.
ーI see.ー she sighed, finally. ーI'm sorry for your loss, Kurosaki. I know how terrible it must've felt.
Sui Feng suddenly widened her eyes and snapped her mouth shut, realizing how she had let her own feelings slip. Speaking anymore would leave her exposed; that was the last thing she wanted. Feelings? Yuck.
ー...you do, Captain?
Yuck.
ー...Indeed I do.ー she tried to answer as cutting as she could, intending with all her might to end it.
Ichigo didn't really take that.
ーI haven't heard much about stable families here in Soul Society, so it sounds… kind of surprising to hear that from you. It doesn't look like you're close with many. Did you lose someone dear to you, too?
Sui Feng internally groaned. He sure liked to dig into matters, huh...
However, a part of her felt like this was a small, tiny chance to open up with someone who could genuinely understand her pain. What was the risk in venting? With a sigh and after slowing her thoughts down to a respectable speed, she finally decided to speak up.
ーI believe "dear" might be an understatement. Kurosaki, reassure me of something.
ーYeah?
ーBe like one of my squad members on this one and swear on your soul, whatever is spoken in here, stays in here. Forever.
Ichigo gulped, this time doing no effort to hide it.
ーY-yeah, I swear. Please don't murder me.
Sui Feng chuckled in an intimidating manner.
ーMy sword remains sheathed for now, so fear not.
ーOk, ok. So, what did you want to talk about that asked for such secrecy?
The black haired woman breathed deeply before starting.
ーYou're aware of Urahara Kisuke's status as an exiled, right?
ーYeah, it was for an incident a few hundreds of years ago or something.
ーYes. I was there during said incident. Urahara fled Soul Society as a criminal, helped by Tessai and… Lady Yoruichi.
Ichigo nodded in silence.
ーI was Lady Yoruichi's trainee by that time, and her most trusted servant in the entire world. We had a bond that meant everything for me, I had devoted myself to her and swore I would do anything and go anywhere for her. That night, however... she left me without a word.
More silence.
ーSo I know how you feel, Kurosaki… for I thought the person that meant my world had betrayed me and left me behind, forever. I believed her gone. I grew up with that thought in mind from there on.
Ichigo exhaled softly, lowering his head and letting his hair cover his eyes temporarily. He raised it again to lock them with Sui Feng's, and they both noticed the sadness in the other's.
ーI lost my mother for… under particular circumstances, which included the attack of a Hollow coming after me. I don't… I don't share your sense of betrayal and resentment because of that, but I do know the pain of abandonment, and the bittersweet sentiment of loneliness. I'm sorry for your loss too, I didn't know Yoruichi did such a thing.
ーI wonder how you truly understand my feelings. Where was your father in all of this? He must've taken care of you and helped you through.
ー...my old man didn't do much about it, actually.
ーI see. I won't deny that was unhealthy, but I'm not here to question his parenting methods.
ーThanks. I don't really know how to talk about that either, so I appreciate it. I'm still shocked by Yoruichi's actions, though…
ーI was, too. She hasn't taken all the needed time to explain why, but she came back and apologized to me, so it's good.
ーIt sounded like a huge deal to you, was it really so easy to forgive her?
Sui Feng paused. She lowered her eyes and hardened her expression. No one had ever asked her that before.
ー...it wasn't.
Sensing the bitterness in her response, Ichigo felt like she needed some sort of comfort. It was the right moment to offer solace, leaving behind whatever past ill intentions they might've had with each other. She had found in him a trustworthy companion to confess what seemed like some of her deepest feelings. He had to respond likewise.
Carefully, the orange haired man extended his hand and gently placed it on her shoulder, easily covering the entirety of the area with how small she was. Her head snapped at the warmth, and Ichigo noticed her slight flinch upon contact.
ーCaptain, as much as you might've worshipped Yoruichi in the past, it's ok to not forgive her instantly. It's ok if it takes you time to accept everything, and it's ok if you never actually get over it. Even after knowing the truth, I still blamed myself for the death of my mother.
ーYour words are wise, but-
ーThere are no buts, Sui Feng. It doesn't matter if you're a Captain and have to give an example, it doesn't matter if your pain comes from something silly or from a huge event, it doesn't matter whatever you think matters. What matters is that you can deal with your feelings now, and…
The Captain quirked her eyebrow.
ーAnd?
ー...unlike me, you two have eternity to make things right. She came back to you.
Sui Feng made the smallest gasping sound, and for a moment she felt her eyes filling with a wet sensation.
ーBe sure to make use of this new time together, Sui Feng. Do me a favor and enjoy it. You have much to tell Yoruichi, and she has much to tell you too.
Letting go of her shoulder, Ichigo extended his arms slightly, as if offering a hug, and awaited with a plain expression. The Captain knew he was ready to take whatever answer she gave him, so this time she felt like they had done enough and politely raised her hand, rejecting the gesture. As expected, he understood, and lowered his arms to rest on his lap.
ーKurosaki, you've shown me an unknown side of your life. I thank you.
ーHm?
ーI think… you're not so bad after all. You're strong, Ichigo.
ーYeah, haha, I've been told-
ーNo, I didn't say powerful. You have a massive Reiatsu and an unbelievable growth speed. But I meant to say, you are strong.
Ichigo stayed silent this time, intending to comprehend the words he was hearing.
ーThough your mother is not coming back, you can deal with those feelings and stay standing, unwavering against the enemy, and you have the… boldness, of opening up about those feelings with me, who has repeatedly attempted to kill you, to help me understand my own. Ichigo Kurosaki, you're strong. Stronger than any other man I've met before. I acknowledge you as someone worthy of my respect now.
The Substitute Soul Reaper could only describe his emotions as a disaster in that instant. There was shock, for the shift in how Sui Feng saw him; there was a tiny sense of flusterment, since it was the first time he was being told something like that; finally, there was a pleasant warmth, a happiness he didn't know he could experience with someone from Soul Society that wasn't Rukia.
His story and his feelings had been listened to and accepted by someone far, far different than her. This was new, and it didn't feel all that bad.
ーThank you, Sui Feng.
ーIt's Captain Sui Feng, but I can let it slip every once in a while.ー she finished, her tone noticeably more amiable than before.
She turned her head slightly to look at the time, and groaned when she saw how late it had become.
ーI'm cutting this conversation to an end, Kurosaki. Take these files- ー she hurriedly grabbed a fragment of the stack and practically shoved them on Ichigo, who yelped in response and did his best not to fall back. ー -and make a run for it to Squad 7. Then come back and I'll give you the papers for Squad 10. I'll send someone more reliable to Squad 12, I don't really want my Substitute Lieutenant captured by Mayuri to be dissected.
ーO-ok, ok, yes ma'am, right away.
In a rush of five minutes, the Captain bombarded her replacement Lieutenant with orders, and he did his best to memorize them all, however he reached a point where it was too much and he had to write them down on a piece of paper. As if to mock him, but with a voice far too serious to be a joke, Sui Feng offered to hang a necklace on him with the directions in case he got lost, which Ichigo refused with a yell, complaining he wasn't an animal nor a little kid.
Said and done, he was out of the office a second later, dashing through the streets of the Seireitei and screaming every time a paper left its designated spot and flew out of his reach.
Meanwhile, Sui Feng let a long sigh of exhaustion leave her lips as she sat down on her desk, letting her mind process what had happened over the last hour. Good grief she was alone, or she would never live it down if someone saw her tender smile at the thought of the conversation she just had. Perhaps the Substitute Soul Reaper wasn't as bad as she initially imagined.
With this lingering in her mind, she took out a blank piece of paper and her brush. More work was still waiting for her, but there was something she wanted to write down first. She needed to.
Actually, it was two things.
Once the first paper was done, she summoned to her office her third seat, and lent him the file with strict orders to deliver it to Squad 1. When she made sure she was alone again, she took out the second paper and let her brush linger on it while she wondered what to write on that one.
Ichigo had been right. Not that she would admit it, but he was right.
It was time she made things right.
"Dearest Lady Yoruichi, we need to talk."