Chapter Text
The only two sounds in the room were the impatient taps on the floor from the short assassin, and the shuffling of papers from the white haired man sitting in front of her. He brought up a hand to stroke his mustache, and made a humming sound before putting down the documents on the desk.
ーAre you sure you wish to proceed with this?ー he asked, staring firmly at Captain Sui Feng.ーThis isn't a procedure that can nor should be taken lightly.
She narrowed her eyes, then answered.
ーAbsolutely. I understand the importance of those files, and I'm sure of my decision. Do not doubt me.
ーVery well. I shall inform the Head Captain of this. You may leave.
ーHow long will it take for these to be ready?
ーIt depends. In the worst case, it could be a month. We'll inform you when they're done, worry not, Captain.
The black haired woman huffed a response, but it came out too low to be understood. She bowed at the man in front of her, Lieutenant Sasakibe, then swiftly left in a single Flash step. The older Soul Reaper frowned momentarily, then sighed in apparent defeat as he picked the papers up and carried them with him out of the room, headed to talk with his Captain at once.
He hadn't wanted to say it out loud, but Captain Sui Feng's proposal was the last, last thing anyone expected.
Knocking softly on the door of the Head Captain's office, he made his presence known before sliding it open and bowing at his superior. The old man turned his head to look at him from his desk, unhooking his concentration to stare at the newly arrived man.
ーSir.
ーLieutenant. More reports so soon?
ーActually, it's a special request. Urgent, and if I may give my opinion, quite serious.
ーShow me.
ーIt's about Ichigo Kurosaki, sir.
✿
Surprisingly, a month it was.
Captain Kuchiki Byakuya was peacefully and diligently doing his morning work and mentally preparing for the incoming day, knowing he had many things to do and many places to attend. With elegance and utter silence, he arranged his scarf and lowered his head, turning his focus on the schedule he had in front of him.
Quietly, his Lieutenant entered the office and bowed to his Captain, who didn't acknowledge his presence, as usual. The red head straightened his back and went over to his desk, then began to organize his own papers for the day with a deep sigh. He glanced over his Captain, wanting to comment on something or crack a joke, but he bit his lip and looked away, knowing it wasn't appropriate to do so during work.
A gasping sound, however, made Renji snap his head towards the noble, and instantly spoke up in worry.
A surprised Byakuya was never a good sign.
ーCaptain? What's the matter? Is everything ok?
The noble recovered his composure after a few seconds, however he didn't stop rereading the file on his hands. He frowned, pressing his lips together with tension.
Worried and curious for what was going on, Renji stood up and walked over Byakuya, leaning on with a respectable distance from him and trying to get a glimpse of the writing.
ーIs that this week's schedule, Captain?ー he wondered out loud, squinting his eyes at the document.
The Captain shook his head, then pointed at a line in the file.
ーWhat… is the meaning of this? I thought everything related to Ichigo Kurosaki had been settled down already.
ーWhat? What's that paper about?
ーCaptain Sui Feng has appointed Kurosaki as… I have never heard this term before.
ー... "Squad Assistant"? What in the world is that?
Renji gasped in shock as he read more of the file, trying to process what the hell the assassin Captain intended to do with his friend. He wasn't a true Shinigami, he had no reason to fulfill official duties nor to be… used, by a Captain. Or not anymore.
A small sense of guilt settled in the redhead's gut, suddenly recalling how much Ichigo had been exploited by them and their weaknesses, to the point of causing him so much pain, deadly wounds, the loss of his powers, even a psychological torture he didn't think he would be able to forget anytime soon. Biting his lip silently, Renji replayed in his mind the memory that had haunted him in nightmares for months, sometimes it still came back and forced him to wake up screaming, covered in cold sweat, unable to rest anymore.
He himself had been one of Ichigo's enemies and had almost killed him. Yet he still called himself his friend.
On the other hand, Byakuya was in no better shape than him. He was simply better at hiding it. Weren't they going too far with the boy? In fact, hadn't they gone too far already? He didn't see how this was necessary in any way. Squad Assistant? Why? Further reading explained the "Substitute Soul Reaper" had done an outstanding job as a member of Squad 2 for a short period of time, and the Captain believed he could be a valuable asset for the… "growth" of other Squads.
What was all that about?
ーCaptain, sir.
Renji's voice interrupted his thoughts, and Byakuya turned his head to lock eyes with his Lieutenant, allowing him to continue. The redhead bowed at him before continuing.
ーPlease allow me to go to the World of the Living and… inform, Ichigo of this.
The Captain sighed quietly.
ーTell me what you really intend to do.ー he practically demanded.
ーI… want to ask if he's ok with this.
ーYou have my permission. Bring a Hell butterfly with you to cross with maximum priority.
Good to see they were both equally worried.
Without wasting anymore time, he bowed and sprinted out of the office with a Flash step, a Hell butterfly trailing behind him a few minutes later. He reached the Senkaimon in no time flat, not stopping to wave at anyone or explain himself. Two Soul reapers stationed to guard the gate bowed at him, but when one of them requested his reason for crossing, the Lieutenant made a gesture for the Butterfly to do its work, quickly making the guards understand they had no right to make questions.
Soon enough, he was stepping out into the World of the Living, taking a deep breath in anticipation, then disappearing again in a rush of speed. By now, he knew the way to Ichigo's house by memory, and found himself stepping on his roof before he expected.
He gulped, and took a deep breath. He knew what he was going to do, the thing now was… actually doing it.
A strange sensation crept up his body, settling on his gut and making him feel like there was a knot in his voice. Huh, that was new. Was guilt finally catching up and preventing him from going down into Ichigo's room and talking to him? Did he unconsciously regret his past actions and felt like it would be cruel to deliver the news to his friend?
ーNo, you dumbass, no, no.ー he smacked himself on his cheeks and muttered self reassuring words. ーYou're not here to inform him. You're here to help. It's easy. Ask him if he agrees, and if he doesn't, go back to Captain Kuchiki and tell him to turn in a complaint to stop Captain Sui-Feng. Perfect plan!
ーWhat are you doing on my roof?
ーWha!
Renji couldn't help the startled, surprised jump that came at hearing Ichigo's voice and seeing his orange hair peeking from the house top's facia. His eyes could barely be seen, but the redhead did notice them scanning him and blinking in comical confusion.
ーDid I scare you?
ーNo, not all at, it was just unexpected! How did you sense me?
ーI didn't. You were talking to yourself.
ーOh.
Rather awkwardly, they stared at each other for a few minutes, Renji unable to speak or move after being caught with his guard low. Ichigo wasn't known for being too patient, however, and soon enough he frowned at his friend.
ーHow long are you planning to stand there?
ーAh- oh! Oh, no, no, I- do you have a minute?
ーWhat?ー the orange haired man now had a puzzled expression on him. That… had come out quite pathetic.
Renji brought a hand up and cleared his throat. Then he tried again.
ーDo you mind inviting me in? I wanted to have a small talk with you if possible?
ーEh… ? Sure thing? Come in. Weird of you to ask for permission.
Swiftly, the Shinigami slid from the roof to the window, then into the room. He turned and locked questioning eyes with Ichigo.
ーWeird? Why?
The orange haired man blinked, then huffed annoyingly. Renji noticed he was wearing casual clothes, not extremely fashionable as to go out. Textbooks and notes were scattered on his bed and his desk, three different pens on his hands awaiting to continue their work.
ーWhen have you not barged into my room for whatever reason you had? Hmph. You sure have a terrible memory.
Oops.
ーOh… have I?
ーYeah. Both you and Rukia do that all the time.
The Lieutenant sat down on the bed, doing his best to not bother the disperse notes on it, and scratched the back of his head nervously.
ーI hadn't noticed. Sorry.
ーIt's ok, well, we're friends after all. I don't really mind at this point.ー Ichigo shrugged the matter off and sat down on his chair, letting himself spin on it once, lifting his legs then setting them down to go back to studying.ーYou wanted to talk about something? Go ahead while I finish these bullet points for my finals.
Renji straightened his back and was about to start talking, when the knot came back. He brought a hand to his neck and rubbed it, coughing a bit to try and clear it. This sensation was becoming quite bothersome. His brain felt numb and completely unnecessary thoughts assaulted him. One of them, the most pressing, insisted on getting Ichigo's full attention for this. This wasn't a tiny matter, if he came to get an answer out of him he would get it on full consciousness of what it meant.
ーIchigo… I need you to listen to me this time.
ーAh, I can do two things at once, no worries!ー he gave a reassuring smile, but Renji violently shook his head.
ーNot this time, I need you to listen to me!
Raising his voice and doing an outburst he himself wasn't expecting, the redhead finally got his friend's full attention- though not by the means he wanted.
Ichigo turned and stared at him wide eyed, his mouth curved downwards in surprise and his frown deepened. He had raised his hands defensively in front of him, a gesture that just helped in increasing Renji's guilt levels.
ーWow. Chill.
ーS-sorry, I'm sorry, Ichigo, I didn't mean to scare you.
ーYou didn't scare me, but it was a surprise. This is gotta be serious now, for you to do that.
ーIt… it is pretty serious and it involves you.
ーHuh. When doesn't it.ー finally, he let go of the pens and spun on his chair to face his tattoo friend decently. He noticed a strange hand motion the orange haired man did while spinning, then saw him raising his arm and showing the Substitute Soul Reaper badge to him. He demanded. ーHow serious is it?
ー... serious, but not dangerous.
Ichigo sighed.
ーWell, at least we can talk about it without swords getting in the way.ー he left his badge on his desk, then leaned back a little. He waved at Renji to continue.
He took a long breath, closed his eyes, and gathered all the courage he thought he had prepared for this. Once he felt ready, he opened his eyes again and locked them firmly with the chocolate brown of his best friend.
ーAre you informed of Captain Sui Feng's idea with you?
Ichigo widened his eyes and shook his head.
ーNo. What's going on? I only got her regards from Yoruichi a few weeks ago, but nothing else.
ーThat's… ok, wow, rare , and congratulations, but it's not the point. She turned in a project- better said, uh, an initiative, for you to take on a more active role in Soul Society.
ーEh?
ーShe wants to appoint you as a Squad assistant.
The Substitute lowered his eyes and muttered a long "oh". There was no other evident reaction, however.
ーI came to see if you were aware of it, and make sure you're okay with it. I came for your consent, I don't want anyone else using you again. Not if Captain Kuchiki and I can help it.
Finally, silence came.
The orange haired man had raised his eyebrows in shock, his eyes wide and his mouth half open. He found a sudden interest on his floor, and scanned it madly with his pupils shifting from side to side. A hand came up to scratch the back of his head, now making weird sounds of confusion.
ーUh… oh… uuh…
ー...Ichigo?
ーI… I can choose?
ーYeah! Exactly, you can choose this time! That's the point of me being here. I want to know if you want this or not and make sure your decision is respected!
ーOh… oh. Oh. That's- what the fuck.
ーAre you ok?
ーNo.
Renji stuttered, taken back by the words and the strange reaction. He didn't recall saying anything inherently wrong to make his friend feel bad.
ーWha- wait, what's wrong? Ichigo, what happened?ー he awkwardly extended his arm and tried to put his hand on the orange head's shoulder, attempting a reassuring gesture, but he never made contact. His hand lingered on the air, unsure of what to do. He wasn't good in this kind of situations.
The orange haired man snapped his head around, as if expecting a surprise attack. He brought a hand to his lips and absentmindedly bit his thumb. Then he turned to Renji and spoke in a dead serious tone, his eyes shadowed and grimm.
ーAre you not trying to make fun of me?
The tattooed man shook his head energetically.
ーNo, absolutely not. I really want to hear your opinion on this matter.
ーYou're not lying.
ーNo.
ーTrying to troll me?
ーI- what the fuck is "troll"?
ーYou guys are really letting me choose?
ーNot us. Me. Well, Captain Kuchiki too, but I wanted to let you choose. I don't think anyone else thought about it.ー he paused, waiting for a reaction, but only got confused blinks and groans of frustration. He quirked his eyebrows in worry. ーHey, buddy? Why is this so upsetting to you?
ーSeriously? You're asking me that?
Without warning, Ichigo stood up and walked around the cramped space that was his room in circles. His thumb never left his mouth now, in fact it was firmly locked inside by his teeth and he munched on his nail. He muttered, practically growled things to himself, and sometimes he let his eyes snap towards Renji and stare at him for a second, before drifting away and thinking about something else.
The Shinigami did his best to hide his surprise at the spectacle he was witnessing, and tried to ignore the pressing brown orbs that went his way sporadically. He felt almost accused by them when they laid on him, and he couldn't help the gulp that came after some minutes of watching his friend struggle in silence.
As if to release the pent up stress, Ichigo sighed deeply and finally turned around, crossing his arms over his chest and casually rubbing his thumb on his clothes, cleaning it from the mess he had made of it.
ーListen. You got me. You caught me off guard. I have no idea what you want me to do.
Renji let his mouth fall open.
ーDid you hear anything of what I said!?
ーI did, I did! I don't know how to answer, geez!
ーIt's a yes or no question! You've made choices in the past, this can't be too hard!
ーNot choices related to Soul Society, you idiot!ー Ichigo rubbed the bridge of his nose anxiously. ーEvery time something happens in Soul Society, I don't have a say in what I want to do! I never thought anyone would just… just, stop by and casually ask me "hey there's this huge thing going around and we were wondering if you wanted to be part of it or not"! How are you expecting me to react?
ーWell no one forced you to go rescue Rukia? Nor go to Hueco Mundo?
ーI didn't know Soul Society back then. And as for Orihime, you forced me to stay still and do nothing. I had to look for my own ways to go there.
ーHey, that's-
ーAnd even before that! Whenever someone from the Seireitei needed something, you came to me and demanded for my help, or that I had to give you shelter and food, or a bunch of stuff that you could perfectly get somewhere else. Rukia and everyone else shrugged it off and thought it was… fun. Relatable. And I ended up growing used to it.
The teenager slumped down on his chair, exhausted, and let a sad groan escape his lips.
ーI never thought you would remember I had feelings too. I don't know how to react.
He couldn't find it in him to talk back. The Lieutenant stared at his friend, and his brows were furrowed in worry and guilt. He was right, there was no doubt, but it hurt to face the reality of what they had done so far. He sighed as he thought about what Ichigo had said, practically rambling and stumbling on his own words; had they made fun of him that badly? Had they made him feel like a clown? Yet Ichigo, the Substitute Soul Reaper left behind, was always still there for him, for them.
The redhead lifted his eyes and focused on his best friend. He was about to speak and try to comfort him of this contained… rage , these silent frustrations, when Ichigo's voice cut through him.
ーYou're giving me the chance to choose, and this might be asking for too much, but I also need a chance to think about it.
Renji blinked.
ーCould you give me two weeks? I'd like to get my finals done with… then process all of this. Please?
The Lieutenant nodded firmly. He stood up and gave a reassuring smile.
ーYou got it. I'll tell Captain Kuchiki to help delay things until you're ready, no matter what or how long it takes, buddy.
Ichigo smiled back at him and chuckled, his frown becoming non existent for a moment.
ーI don't remember the first or last time you were this supportive with me.
ー... it's weird for me too to act this cool, honestly. But things have changed, and so have I.
ーReally? What changed?
Renji stepped out of the room, and turned around one last time to face the orange haired man properly before departing. He had much to arrange now and he didn't intend to waste the valuable time he had.
ーI think I finally realized how much you mean to me as a friend, and how much I want to make things right for you.
Ichigo could only smile as he watched him disappear, gone in a matter of seconds. A sensation of warmth spread over his heart, and he quietly brought a hand up to feel how it beat in tranquil, satisfied joy.
Those words had made him genuinely happy. He needed that more than anything.
✿
Two weeks.
For the first time in many years, Captain Kuchiki decidedly refused to sign a document, no matter who pressed him to do it. Renji had been there, standing firmly near his Captain as even Yamamoto paid them a visit and asked the reason of his stubborn behavior, unseen since his childhood years, buried deep in the past. But Byakuya shook his head, and remained stoic and silent. The reason for not agreeing was classified and he only revealed he would make his final decision in two weeks.
He didn't waste those precious days, however, on simply saying no and refusing to sign the initiative. Both him and Lieutenant Abarai agreed on working on a new initiative, or at the very least, a modified version of what Captain Sui Feng had turned in first. Surprisingly, as they found out a few days later, a few other Squads had also refused to sign the proposal, or at least, they wouldn't do so until further development was done. Renji had smirked inwardly at that; no one had taken on the task to make it better except Byakuya and him.
Sui Feng hadn't been happy about it at first. She had barged into their office when the deadline was closing in, and practically interrogated them about the matter. Captain Kuchiki was a literal tree then, stoic, silent, unnerved, enjoying the sun rays on his back as the smaller Captain yelled at him- well, perhaps not that last part, but he seemed pretty close to it. The only thing she got out of them were sighs and a mere "it's classified". She had stormed off a while later, muttering curses and stressing over why didn't they like her project.
She was kind of naïve right then, but they were sure she would understand soon enough.
So finally, on a pleasant evening with warm colors filling the skies, Renji went back to the World of the Living. Two weeks, one day. More time than Ichigo expected, he wondered with a chuckle. Not that it was a bad thing.
This time it felt way easier. There was no knot in his throat, no churning sensation in his stomach, no nervousness. He wasn't there to deliver dramatic news and that was kind of a relief. He was there to listen to his friend's answer and bring it back to Soul Society.
He knocked gently on Ichigo's window, seeing the curtains closed already and unsure of barging in again. When there was no response, he let a small "huh" escape his lips and slipped down from the second floor onto the ground, making his way to the side door and knocking on its glass this time.
A second later, the door slid open and a surprised Ichigo came into view. Renji had to resist the urge to burst out laughing, pressing his lips together and shuddering noticeably. The orange haired man stared at him with a frown, blatantly ignoring his face covered in cream and flour and his stained apron.
ーI'm guessing you went to my room first.ー he deadpanned, crossing his arms over his chest and giving the redhead a hard stare. The tattooed man gulped and suppressed the chuckle that attempted to bubble its way up.
ーAhem, yes, I did, and you didn't open up, so I, huh, I came down.
ーThanks for not smashing your way in. You caught me baking.ー without saying a word, he stepped to the side and waved at Renji to walk in, then made a motion towards the sofa. The Shinigami accepted the invitation and sat down, now watching Ichigo walk over his kitchen and pick up a bowl and a wooden spoon. Not minding the presence of his guest, he continued his work and messed himself up more, grunts of annoyance coming out of him every time the mass splashed on him.
After a while, Renji decided to break the strange silence that had fallen on them.
ーUhm… is this a bad moment? Should I leave?
Ichigo shook his head.
ーNo, it's fine, you can talk to me. I can do two things at once.
ーBut- you know what I come to talk about, wouldn't it be better if you…?
ーI can perfectly listen and bake Karin's surprise at the same time. And my answer is ready, I won't panic like last time.
ーThat's… good to hear.ー the Lieutenant scratched the back of his head, and locked eyes with his friend. ーSo, you got your answer?
The Substitute nodded and gave a small grin.
ーI don't see why not. I'd like to take it.
Renji frowned a little at this.
ーCompletely sure?
ーYep.
ーZero doubt?
ーOne hundred percent sure.
Now the redhead's face was suddenly illuminated by a smile.
ーAlright! That's cool! And it means this work wasn't for nothing.
ーWhat work?
ーWe were ready to turn it down and cancel the entire thing if you said no, but in case you agreed to do it, Captain Kuchiki and I worked on this for you.
Swiftly, the Soul Reaper took out a small bunch of papers from his robes and hesitantly held them on his hands, questioning whether to put them down on the table or hand them over to his friend. The orange head quickly told him to wait and settled down the things he was working on, sliding something into his oven then finally breathing out in satisfaction and untying his apron. He walked over to the living room where Renji patiently waited for him and sat down, cleaning his face with a napkin he had grabbed on his way there.
ーWhat's that?
ーSafety measures for you.
ーEh?
ーHere, I'll read them out loud for you, buddy.
ーYou don't need to-
ーFirst of all!ー Renji cleared his throat and spoke up with a loud, comical announcement voice. Ichigo looked at him with a dumbfounded expression but did no attempt to stop him. ーA Squad assistant is an official member of the Seireitei, for now under the jurisdiction of Squad 6. It's better than being under the eyes of Sui Feng, right?
The Substitute only widened his eyes and nodded silently. The redhead took the gesture as a signal to continue.
ーSo, that means anything that happens to you or anything that you may need, you come to us and let us know. Captain Kuchiki is willing to take on that task. Also, we made like, a lot of clauses to make sure you're safe. I'll read them out-
ーUh!ー a hurried yelp escaped the other man's lips, and he quickly reached out to snatch the papers away from Renji's hands. ーYou don't need to act narrator anymore, I can read them myself, in silence.
The Lieutenant seemed taken back by his little outburst, but finally complied and nodded, letting Ichigo take the papers from him.
ーWhere's your sense of humour, geez…
For a few minutes, silence returned to the room. Renji stared at his friend, fidgeting a bit when he got bored and even getting to the point of badly whistling a tune. It was awkward, watching his friend morph his face into many different phases of shock and confusion. He never thought one emotion could have so many expressions.
His eyebrows furrowed in worry when Ichigo brought a hand to cover his mouth as he gasped.
ーEverything ok?ー he asked tentatively.
The Substitute nodded slowly.
ーYou guys literally reinvented the worker's protection rights for me.
ーThe what ?
ーOh my God you're going to pay me.
ーThe Captain proposed that one-
ーAre you serious?!
ーWhat, about what?ー the Lieutenant was long lost from Ichigo's unbelieving rambling. ーAbout getting paid?
ーI get to have my own office?!
Renji blinked.
ー...yeah. You do. Rukia thought it would be fitting to give you your own workspace.
ーWait, Rukia was into this too?
Renji grinned.
ーOf course she was. The three of us Captain Kuchiki, Rukia and I were the ones who made this. Sui Feng said we went too far, but honestly… it's up to you to decide that.
The Substitute sweatdropped, rubbing his nape and looking baffled at what he had read.
ーI don't know what to say, this is amazing. It's like you're giving me a real work and not messing around with me.
ーThat's the entire point of this.
ーI don't know what to say or how to thank you.ー a warm smile adorned Ichigo's face, his scowl gone and his tender chocolate brown eyes softened and lost in the moment. ーI know I said I wanted to do this, but now I'm even eager to begin. How can I-?
ーJust so we're clear.ー Renji interrupted roughly, his tone hard. ーDon't even think about repaying us , because we are repaying you . You're the one who's done far too much for the Seireitei. Now shut it, be happy, and wait for your first assignment.
The young adult chuckled under his breath. Content, he returned the papers to his friend and gifted him a smile so pure he rivaled the innocence of a child.
ーYessir.ー was all he could say in response to the kindness he didn't know his friends could display.
✿
The Lieutenant of Squad 6 sadly couldn't stay for dinner with the Hero of Soul Society, but that wasn't exactly a bad thing. He had vital matters to attend and he intended to get them done with as soon as possible. He had apologized, though; he felt like it was a needed gesture after such a kind and heartfelt offering.
Stepping silently on the wooden floor of his barracks, the dimly lit hall and the wavering lights were the only things to receive him when nighttime had already claimed the Seireitei. He made his way to the office his Captain shared with him and slid the door open as quietly as possible. He didn't want to leave anything out of place if his boss wasn't around-.
ーHow did it go?
Renji yelped in surprise and sharply turned his head to the side. Illuminated by a lonely candle and still redacting a report, Byakuya worked as an unseen shadow, clearly going outside his planned schedule for the sole purpose of hearing Ichigo's final verdict.
ーSir! Renji Abarai reporting in with fresh news.
ーContinue.
ーHe said yes.
The Captain nodded, perfectly expressionless.
ーI see.
Swiftly, he took out a document from his archives, knowing with extreme precision where it was, awaiting. He extended it on his deck, gave it one last quick read, then with the known elegance and finesse of the Kuchiki household, he signed it. His Lieutenant gave a content hum and bowed when the paper was handed over to him.
ーDeliver this to Squad 1… then we'll be done for today.
ーYessir. I'll take my leave then.
ーBefore that, Abarai.
Renji lifted his head slightly, his eyes questioning.
ーWas this enough?
The redhead smiled.
ーMore than enough, sir. We even made him happy.
Byakuya stared blankly at him, closed his eyes, breathed out… then returned the smile with a hum of approval.
ーThat sounds marvelous. I'm glad.
ーSo am I, sir. I think we might finally be doing things right.
No more words were exchanged. Renji left with the same quietness he came with, sprinting in the darkness to finally finish what they started. Byakuya stood up, cleaned his desk, and with a soft blow, took out the warm flame of his candle.
For the first time in two weeks, Captain and Lieutenant went to rest with their minds at ease.
Ichigo was happy.