Wind's Calling

Birthday?

The dreams weren't as terrifying but she still woke up screaming silently when she did sleep. The days were being filled with facing off with Renji and killing the baby dolls the bounts had created. She didn't realize what day it was until she opened the apartment door after a knock. Shunsui and Jushiro stood outside, broad smiles on their faces. "Happy birthday," Shunsui cried.
(Y/n) turned a bit red as Renji peeked around the corner and down the hallway, "This isn't really the time for this."
"We haven't celebrated in a while, just let it happen," Jushiro chuckled.
"Captain Shunsui? Captain Jushiro," Renji raised an eyebrow as the two walked inside. "What brings you here? Isn't-"
"We aren't really here," Shunsui winked and (Y/n) sighed softly before shaking her head to Renji.
"They were always like this," she whispered after they passed him. His eyes widened and he started to laugh, following them in.
"So it's your birthday? Why didn't you say anything," he asked. The two captains settled around the table, setting bottles of sake down. (Y/n) glared at Renji and his eyes widened a bit. "You forgot didn't you?"
"It's just another day," (Y/n) sighed softly.
"Don't be so serious," Shunsui laughed, "you haven't taken a break since you got back! Take a load off!"
"You two can't just come to the world of the living for something so trivial," (Y/n) cried.
"Captain Yamamoto should be coming later too," Jushiro chuckled lightly and started pouring the glasses. Renji snapped his soul pager shut, grinning wickedly. (Y/n) was left with no way out as the humans, their mid souls, and Rukia showed up a while later, a few drinks already gone through. (Y/n) avoided the alcohol, unsure of what would come out of her mouth.
After a while, Ichigo huffed, "You said there was something important. Why are we just partying?"
"You know, there wasn't a formal introduction," Renji slammed his hand on (Y/n)'s back and laughed. "Guys, this is Yamamoto (Y/n). She's a friend from my school days and the fastest person I know besides Lady Yoruichi. (Y/n), this is Ichigo, Orihime, Sato, and Rukia."
"I told them there was serious stuff going on," (Y/n) stared apologetically at the carrot haired boy and rubbed the back of her neck. "They wouldn't listen to me."
"That doesn't answer my question," he growled.
"It's (Y/n)'s birthday," Shunsui laughed. "We haven't celebrated it in years." Ichigo flinched his eyes widened at her.
"Like Captain Yamamoto," the large human asked slowly.
"Oh boy," (Y/n) sighed. "(Y/n) is fine, don't start getting formal with me. I hate it. We should be dealing with the bounts, you guys, not sit here drinking."
"You haven't had a single drink," Shunsui waved a cup to her. "The birthday girl needs at least one drink before we have to leave."
"I love you two but you shouldn't even be here," (Y/n) glared at him as he smiled coyly at her. She sighed and took it, taking it down in one gulp before waving the glass. The burn hit a few seconds later, making her cough as her cheeks began to flare up. "You sly bastard!"
"Ah, come on, they have to get stronger every year! You missed a few so we had to compensate," Shunsui laughed and hit the table.
"Wait! Not so," the table shattered, spilling everything that was on it and making the whole room jump. "Hard," Renji sighed.
(Y/n) started laughing at the shocked expression on Shunsui's face, covering her mouth, "You broke it!"
"I didn't hit it that hard," he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Don't worry about it, I'm the one that broke it," (Y/n) started picking the things that fell up, Shunsui helping as the others began talking to one another again.
"You seem to be doing a bit better," he commented quietly. (Y/n) stopped short and looked up at him. She didn't know if it was the drink or not but she smiled softly at him, the rise of her lips genuine.
"Thank you for the normalcy," she whispered back. It took him a moment but a gentle smile crossed his face. She knew he was trying to be fast but the motion was almost slowed to her as his hands went for her neck. Her body moved on instinct, her face becoming serious as her gaze turned into a deadly glare. His arms were twisted outwards, the dishes from the table seemingly forgotten as Shunsui grimaced from the movement.
A thin chain with a pendant was pulled taut in his grip, his eyes focused on her as she stared at his hands. She let go quickly and her face paled at her thick choker dangled between his fingers. His throat cleared and he slowly handed it back to her.
"Sorry," he chuckled, "I just wanted to give you your gift." (Y/n) took the choker and put it back on before carefully taking the pendant from him, her jaw clenching.
"You can ask first, old man," she snorted. She forced a smile, sliding the glass plum blossom around her neck and struggling with the hook.
"Let me help," he offered. He reached around as (Y/n) lowered her head to make it easier. The (h/l) (h/c) was gently moved as he hooked it together and he chuckled lightly. "I really want to hear the stories when you remember; they seem like they would interesting."
"When I remember I'll tell you," she laughed lightly, patting his arm as she straightened up.

Renji had her hands above her head, debris from the hole in the ceiling falling onto (Y/n)'s head as she panted heavily. Her fingertips twitched as she tried to get her bearing. What was she just dreaming about? It was obvious she was in the apartment so at some point she had fallen asleep but when was it? "Good, you're awake," he grunted.
"What happened," her voice rasped out.
"Mind telling me what you've been dreaming about," he demanded. "It gets more dangerous every night. You are lucky no one mistakes you for a hallow."
"This one," (Y/n) hesitated and stared at her hands after he let them go and stepped back. "I'm not ready to tell anyone."
"You were firing seros, (Y/n). You have to tell someone," he sniffed.
"Urahara said he'd explain it to me. He is probably waiting for the right time," (Y/n) sighed.
"What happened to you," he snapped. "I can't get my head around it. You were so nice in the school house and even after."
"I don't know, Renji," she snapped back. "Thank you for stopping me but I don't know what happened."
"That's bullshit and we both know it," he roared. "You didn't just spend decades talking to your zanpakuto. It's not possible! You would have died from being attacked!"
"I'm not lying," she barked. "I'm trying to figure it out too, you know! I didn't mean to come back like this! It's scary for me!"
"If Urahara knows something let's ask him," Renji opened the storage closet, pulling his gigai out and her old one, shoving it to her. She caught it and scowled, sliding into it as he struggled with his own.
"This can wait," she sighed.
"You're lucky you live on the top floor," he muttered. "You could have killed someone."
"Renji, seriously," (Y/n) grabbed his arm as he turned to walk for the door, "This whole thing can wait. We don't have the time to look for answers to my problem right now."
"And when will you have time," he sniffed. "See, the last time there was a personal problem and no one said anything, it nearly got us killed. That Uryu guy is still moping about it because now we can't do anything to help."
"I will have time at some point but not right now. Seriously, for a lieutenant you suck at prioritizing," (Y/n) groaned. "Bounts first, then the investigation into Aizen, and then I'll deal with it properly."
"That still doesn't explain the seros," he cried.
"I don't know what to tell you," she yelled back. He took a step away, his eyes wide as hers tested up. "You're just as thick headed as when we were in school, Renji. If I knew the answers I'd tell someone."
"If Captain Yamamoto knew about this," he trailed off as she looked him dead in the eye.
"He already knows where I came to consciousness. He sent me out here because I was scared I'd hurt someone and when Urahara said that you were staying with him I figured you'd be able to stop me if I went to far," she growled. He sighed, crossing his arms and glaring at her.
"How long has this been going on," he asked after a moment.
"Since I got back to the Soul Society," she replied. "It didn't happen while I was going to school while hiding in the world of the living. It might have been a trigger."
He groaned and rubbed his hair back, "You're such an idiot! You're supposed to be the smart one!"
"Excuse me? Who said that," (Y/n) snorted.