Work Text:
“What the hell is this supposed to be?”
Hiyori stared at the small, black rectangle sitting on her neatly folded clothing; the latter courtesy of Hachi. She adjusts the towel on her small frame before picking the object up. Her hair was still dripping after having just come out of the bath. Water droplets landing on what she can now see is a screen; fidgeting with its sides it lights up. A generic hollow mask, distorted by the water on its, stares at her. She’s about to wipe it on her towel when she hears Lisa stomping her way towards their shared room
“I’ve told you not to leave the bathroom before drying off, Hiyori. You dripped all over the hall again,” Lisa said. Her tone walking a fine line between scolding and exasperation.
After being pardoned of crimes they never committed, along with half of their little group returning to the Seretei, the former lieutenant had suggested they move out of their makeshift home. She herself only tolerated their living arrangement due to the circumstances; no time was wasted in acquiring an actual home with real beds. Besides Hiyori, who had an odd fondness for their concrete inn, her visored comrades leaped at the proposal. Their new home, modestly sized, had barely just enough room for them. A quaint two-story affair with three bedrooms, one bathroom and a small kitchen/dining area. Hiyori’s complaints, at least those pertaining to moving, stopped once she discovered the wonders of accessible hot water. Now if she cleaned up after herself more, Lisa would be content.
The visored huffs at her roommate without turning to face her. She can see clearly picture standing the open door. Arms crossed, glasses retired for the night, probably wearing some god-awful shirt belonging to her former captain as a pajama top. Hiyori wouldn't have agreed to this whole arrangement if she’d known Lisa would turn into such a nag.
“A little water isn’t anything to get your panties in a twist. Hell, I bet you’re not wearing any to start with,” Hiyori says. Laughing at her own little joke.
“A jab at my modesty from a girl who leaves her bedroom door open while she’s naked,” Lisa sighs. She steps fully into their room while closing the door behind her.
“Like Hachi and Love don’t know better than to come upstairs.” She tosses what she had been holding onto the bed. Freeing up her hands to get dressed for the night. Lisa sees it as she gets settled on her side of the room.
“Ah, so you did see it.”
Hiyori pops her head through the top of her shirt when she asks, “See what?”
Lisa points at the device on Hiyori’s bed while also digging an identical one out of her shorts.
“Kisuke’s developed an upgraded soul pager. He was kind enough to gives these free of charge.”
That gets a snort out of the girl. Free of charge usually meant they were the testers for whatever he’s working on. Her brief life under his command taught her that much. Lisa, for her part, must’ve picked up on her skepticism, because she adds that 3rd seat and above soul reapers have also received them. Only not at a 100% discount. The older visored took her time explaining all the new features to Hiyori. Although she did seem largely disinterested with them.
“I took the liberty of adding all our numbers to yours. Of course,” Lisa smiles conspiratorially, “Kisuke’s number isn’t on it. You’ll have to ask him for it.”
Her words have the desired, and expected, effect on the diminutive visored. She sputters in indignation while her face heats up; whether from shame or anger not yet clear. Doubt is removed when she cocks her arm back, spiritual smart phone in hand, and flings it at Lisa. The otaku turned amateur writer deftly catches it out of the air. She tosses back onto Hiyori’s bed just when the latter’s words become intelligible.
“Why the hell would I want that asshole’s number?! All that manga’s finally must’ve rotted your brain, Lisa! I’d rather fall asleep to Menos roars than that bastard’s voice!”
“So, you’ve already thought about falling asleep to it?
That brings about a fresh wave of screaming. Enough to get Love banging on their door.
“Oi! We’re trying to sleep down there! Talk about your budding romance tomorrow.”
Lisa quickly responds, cutting off whatever expletives Hiyori had in store for him.
“Sorry, Love, we’ll call it a night.”
With that the older of the two cuts the lights and settles in her bed. Over the course of a hundred years, she’s learned how to simmer Hiyori down. The girl’s anger needs a recipient for it to keep burning. Otherwise, even though she’ll let her frustration known at being ignored, it’ll burn itself out. As usual she heard her grumbling under her breath about “gossipy bitches” until she went to bed. Taking out the last of her anger on her pillow. Lisa thought that the end of it, except that she saw Hiyori messing with the soul pager. Staring wistfully at what she assumed must be its contact list; devoid of their once fellow criminal’s name.
“So obvious.”
**********
Come noon Hiyori was making her way towards the one stop shop for all things spirit related this side of the senkaimon. The old shop wasn’t that far from their new abode; a twenty-minute walk if you took your sweet time with it. Not that distance means much to someone that can use shunpo. She had opted to walk though, and she had gotten a sheen of sweat for her trouble. The seasonal heat was enough to make her think Old Man Yamamoto was haunting her. Mercifully a stray cloud in the summer sky grants her some reprieve from that blazing heat beating down on her. Now that she didn’t have the sun stinging her neck, her attention is brought to the unfamiliar weight in her pocket. Reminding her just why she was heading there to begin with.
Stupid Lisa just had to put that stupid thought in her head. She could’ve been home, basking in the wonders of air conditioning, instead of dragging her feet to Kisuke’s place. Her mood was bad enough from the heat without thinking about how smug she looked this morning. Like the older woman was daring her to stay home. Fine, she did want to ask her ex-captain for his number. That’s why she’s even outside in this ball-sweat weather to start with. But that doesn’t mean she wants to hear him while she’s about to doze off. She just... Wouldn't mind being able to message him whenever. Because Kisuke has barely changed from his 12th division days, so most of the time, even when she takes time out of her day to see him, he’s hold up working on whatever crappy project popped into his shaggy head. It leaves her feeling ignored. Talking over the phone, or texting once she figured that out, would... Well, it’d be way less lonely than walking back home from yet another failed visit.
“Ugh,” Hiyori groaned, “like I’d tell him all that. I can already see him grinning like a moron. Pisses me off just thinking about it.”
“What does?”
Hiyori stops mid step to snap her head upwards towards the owner of the voice. She stared up at Tessai’s tan, bearded face. She must’ve really been zoned out not to notice his huge frame sweeping the store front. Or the fact that she had already made it to her destination. She fidgets awkwardly with the brim of her hat.
“This hot ass weather, big man. We can’t all tan like you, ya know.”
Tessai nods in agreement. Welcoming her inside, he puts his broom aside on the wall. He asks if she would like some iced tea. He had prepared a pitcher for Jinta and Urara to give them when they got back from school. He had plenty to spare for the visored, if she wanted. She’d refuse if she thought he’d take no for an answer. Instead she gladly takes him up on it.
“What brings you here this time, Hiyori-san?”, he asked from the cozy kitchen.
“Your boss. The soul pager he gave me isn’t working right. After all the heavy lifting I did for him, I think I deserve something that actually works.” It wasn’t her best lie, but at least it was believable enough.
Tessai emerges from the kitchen with a tall glass of the promised tea. Hiyori thanks him, or as close to thanks as she usually gets, and starts to drink. It’s delightfully cool on its way down, and there’s just enough sugar to give it a touch of sweetness without making it overpowering. He looks a bit proud of how much she’s enjoying it. He was a man who took pride in his work, whatever that may be on a given day. Which is why he asked for Hiyori’s pager
“Perhaps I can take a look at it? I actually assisted Urahara-san in their manufacturing; I may be able to resolve whatever problem you’re having with it-” His words are cut off by Hiyori choking mid gulp on her drink. She waves away his concern as she calms down her tea induced cough
“D-don’t worry about it, Tessai. He should be the one fixing the damn thing it anyway! So, uh, just tell me where he is so that I can get this over with.”
The Kido Master raises a singular eyebrow at her demeanor. She scowls at him, thinking he’s going to say something smart. But if he was, it looks like he decided otherwise. He tells her Kisuke’s been holed up in his study upstairs since he woke up this morning. He also tells her he just remembered he has to go out for groceries. He leaves her saying that she's more than welcomed to help herself to another glass of tea, so long as she left enough for the kids. He stresses that the groceries will take him a loooong time Hiyori watches him walk away from the shop, a slight blush coloring her cheeks from the embarrassing realization that he’s being considerate.
“Goddamn it... We’re not even doing that yet.”
**********
Climbing up the short flight of stairs to the second floor, palming the phone in her pocket, Hiyori’s irritation struggles against a warm bunch of feelings that started springing up the moment she started up the steps. She hates how low she’s fallen ever since she and him started... Getting closer with each other. If someone had told her a century ago, or even as recent as a decade ago, how his presence alone would fill her with a warmth she can’t describe on a good day, she would’ve asked if they were trying to commit suicide via shinigami. Now though, one hand on the door to his study, she can admit, at least to herself, that she cared for the man. He was immune to the bite of her rage, unbothered by the fire she had surrounded herself with, and easily leaped over the walls around herself she had so painstakingly built for as long as she could remember. Kisuke pushed, prodded, and provoked until he had become an annoying, if irreplaceable, part of her life. He was always there for her; it didn’t matter if she wanted him to be or not. Good days or bad days... There were a lot of bad days so soon after fleeing the Seretei; types of days not even her fellow visored went anywhere near her, but he did. Even when all he would do was just to sit next to her. That warm reiatsu of his blanketing her own. These thoughts smother her anger. She opens his door.
The study isn’t anything more than a converted attic. Equipped with a single bookshelf against the exterior wall. Papers with scrawled with data she isn’t going to pretend to understand messily stacked on a low table. Two cushions neatly placed opposite on either end of the table. She sees his hat, but no sight of the clerk himself. When she turns to her left her heart nearly leaps out of her chest. There was Kisuke, his trademark grin on his face. Looking like he’s holding back giggles.
“Your peripheral vision is horrible, Hiyori-cha- Umpf!”
His reward for getting the drop on his ex- subordinate is a small, yet horribly strong fist slamming into his cheek. An improvement from when she aimed for his nose. Setting that back every time was a pain.
“I’m leaving.” She’s not one step over the threshold before she gets tugged back by Kisuke. She looks down onto his gentle grip on her wrist. “Oi, want me do the other cheek?” Hiyori raised her left fist for emphasis. Though, to her frustration, her fist started unfurling when the shop keep's thumb rubbed gently on her captured wrist.
“Now, you just got here, Hiyori-chan. And I'm sure you came here for good reason, right?” His words are as carefree as they’ve ever been. Except that there’s an underlying tenderness to his tone; one reserved wholly for her. A knowing look in his eyes is paired with it. Hiyori rolls her eyes at it.
He knows. He always knows
She tears her hand away from his. Using it to fish out her soul pager she hands it to him.
“I dunno your number.”
“Really? I could’ve sworn I put it on the front of the store. Ah, wait, Hiyori-chan you can’t call that number for anything other than business. Can’t have you hogging the line. Not even to have me whisper sweet nothings in your ear.” He puts an exaggerated, sultry emphasis on his last sentence. Succeeding in peaking her temper.
“Not your landline, you moron! Your stupid soul pager!”
“Ooooh,” Kisuke says, “why didn’t you just say so?”. He ducks to avoid the kick that question earns him. He swipes open her lock-screen and quickly makes his way to her contacts. Soon as he’s done, he tosses back to her. Choosing not to comment on the look on her face. A soft smile on her face as she reads his newly added name. Honestly, if she smiled like that more often, he’d have to worry about someone stealing her away.
“Ya know, the kids won’t get here for another couple hours.”
Hiyori grunts.
“Tessai told me he wasn’t gonna be back for a while, too.”
“I knew I kept him around for a reason.” Kisuke grabs one of the cushions to set next to the other. Once he’s sat, he pats the empty one next to him. Hiyori crosses her arms. That makes him pout.
“I’m not hanging out in an attic.”
“It’s a study. Come on, Hiyori-chan, I’ve been pretty lonely.” Hiyori was a proud girl. He learned quick she won’t admit to these types of feelings if she can help it. That’s why he admits to them for her.
“Well, if you miss me that much,” she shrugs her shoulders, a smirk on her face, “guess it can’t be helped.” She walks on over and sits down next to him. Kisuke eagerly wraps am arm around her. It’s downright criminal how well she fits against him when she allows him to pull her into him. That familiar reiatsu envelops her, so warm and comforting. Between him, the weather, and his reiatsu, she finds her eyes getting heavy.
“Falling asleep on me already?”
“Iss your fault,” Hiyori yawned, “your lazy reiatsu is rubbing off on me.” She leans more of her weight on him after saying that. Kisuke, not fond of sleeping sitting up, brings them both down softly onto the floor. He brings one of hands up to run through her hair.
“I'm glad you stopped by, Hiyori. I’ve stayed so busy lately. I’m sorry it cut into our time.”
His visored smacked his chest. A blow absent of its usual force proof that she’s only barely hanging onto consciousness.
“Better be... Whatever... We can... soul pagers...”
“Aaaand she’s out.”
*********
“Hiyori! For the last time, stop dripping water all over the damn floor!”
Lisa had expected to find Hiyori, hair still wet, half asleep on her bed. However, what she found was her wide awake, playing with her phone. The dumbest grin she had ever seen plastered on her face. She shakes her head. Deciding she’ll let her have her way tonight. Lisa turns on her heel with her own tired smile on her face
“So obvious.”