Wind's Calling

A Dinner

Shunsui sat across her table when she walked into the apartment, the cloth gone and glue in his hands. (Y/n) frowned and walked towards the kitchen with the groceries before peeking out to make sure she wasn't seeing things. "Captain-"
"Come on, (Y/n), you don't have to be so formal," he hummed. He stayed focused on the table and she smiled a bit albeit awkwardly. She walked back into the kitchen and started putting the snacks away.
"You don't have to fix that you know," she called. I might just break it again, who knows."
"I felt like fixing it," he grunted. He walked into the kitchen after her as she started making dinner. "What's for dinner?"
"Oh, you're hanging around," she asked and glanced up at him. He smiled broadly and scratched the side of his cheek.
"Well, I figured a friendly face would do you some good," he said. "Can't friends hang out?"
"Am I complaining," she countered and laughed at the toothy smile. "I think Renji is eating at Urahara's. It wouldn't be bad to have your company."
"You're looking better," he commented and it made her cheeks a bit pink.
"I'm making soba," (Y/n) cleared her throat and looked back at the food. "Did you bring sake?"
"Have I ever come empty handed," he mocked her tone and she chuckled at the remark. "This natural look looks good on you."
"Someone's piling on compliments," she snorted. "What? Do I look human like this?"
"Comfortable," he nodded. "You didn't look like you'd be comfortable again back home." He took some of the vegetables and started cutting, a comfortable silence coming between them. "Are you comfortable in your gigai?"
"I mean, I hid in it for a few years," she nodded. It was silent as everything began to actually cook, (Y/n) wiping her hands off. "How are you doing, Shunsui?"
He hummed and pulled the bottle of sake out with two glasses, "I'm doing well I guess. I thought you'd have some time off to readjust so I ended up planning a few things to do. I guess it wasn't in the cards."
"That's," (Y/n) took the sake and cups from him, pouring it, "that's awfully considerate of you. What are you planning?" He jerked a bit and chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck in reaction.
"Well, we missed you. No one else brought snacks when we had drinks," he sighed. "Or corrected our men for us."
"I was a stickler then, wasn't I," (Y/n) sighed.
"I thought you said you couldn't remember," he scowled a bit and rubbed his beard in thought.
"Hold on, you thought I forgot everything," she gasped. "Shunsui! Who'd forget that mug of yours? Seriously?"
He held his hands up as she held a cup to him, laughing, "My bad. I overshot your amnesia."
"It was from when I first disappeared up to when I regained consciousness," she sighed. "I would have been found easier if the amnesia was for more and I would have refused coming back. Give me some credit."
She took a sip as Shunsui dug through the fridge for a snack, "You're starting to remember then." He perked up, holding up sweet buns with a grin akin to a child. "You still have your sweet tooth I see."
"That's your fault and you know it," (Y/n) turned red and crossed her arms, pouting. "Don't look at me like that, you know it's the truth. Grandpa was mad every time you brought them over."
"You were so innocent then," he sighed softly. (Y/n) snorted and finished the cup, pouring herself another. Shunsui took the bottle and poured it for her, humming softly. "I'm glad to see the burden you carry isn't too much for you to handle."
(Y/n)'s smile faded as she remembered the dreams, "You think so?" He stopped just shy of filling her cup and stared at her. "I've come close to killing Renji. I feel bad that I invited him here and attack him in my sleep. If it was someone else they'd have died by now and I can't apologize."
He sighed after a moment, taking her cup and setting it on the counter, "I knew something was wrong. When you grabbed my wrists it only strengthened my suspicion."
"I'm not a traitor," she said quickly. "I didn't betray the Soul Society. I could never."
"I know you didn't, little (Y/n)," he sighed. (Y/n) started to set the food out, her shoulders slumped. "You hung up that mask."
"It's personal and almost a part of me," (Y/n) smiled a bit at him, carrying the bowls to the table.
He chuckled and sat down with her, the cups in hand and the sake under his arm, "Is it?"
"I didn't thank you for the birthday present," (Y/n) smiled and started eating.
"You started wearing chokers. I figured you would like something as elegant as you are. I didn't realize it was to cover up your scars," (Y/n)'s chopsticks stopped and she touched at her neck carefully.
"I'm not mad," she hummed. "I was just surprised."
"How'd you get them," he asked.
"A hallow nearly bit my head off," the words were more casual than she would have liked, she really would've liked not to answer. Shunsui had stopped moving all together, his eyes wide. "I-I'm sorry, that didn't mean to come-"
"What other scars do you have," he turned back to his food, a gentle smile on his face. (Y/n) slowly relaxed, pulling her jacket off to the open backed leotard. She pointed and talked about each one to the silent Shunsui, the process helping her uncover memories she hadn't dreamt about and lift the weight of her secrets from her chest.
"It's weird," she muttered at the end. It made Shunsui blink and raise an eyebrow. "I didn't kill a single one of them. Not after I learned my bankai, you'd think I would."
"You've hated fighting since the beginning," Shunsui chuckled and then sighed, glancing to the clock. "I have one question before I have to return to the Soul Society."
"What is it," she tilted her head a bit, Shunsui shifting a bit closer. He opened his mouth to speak when the door swung open, Renji walking in and yawning.
"I'll ask when you come home," Shunsui chuckled at the confused look on Renji's face as he stood walked for the door. "Get some sleep, little (Y/n). It's pretty late."

(Y/n) let out a breath, the doll falling to the ground lifeless. There were more than normal in this group and it made it difficult to deal with them. She unhinged a blade as something came at her. Metal hit against metal, the blades crossed with the hooks facing in. Ichinose and (Y/n) glared at each other momentarily before she hooked his blade and swung him to the side with it. "What? I cut down too many," she snorted.
"Dual blades," his eyes widened but the shock didn't last long as he swiped at her. She angled the two that were still hinged together and his blade was stopped at the guard. The middle blade unhinged falling to the ground where (Y/n)'s foot waited. She kicked it back up, Ichinose moving back as she locked the hooks together. She turned to gain momentum, throwing it forward with one blade while pushing with the other angrily.
The blade caught in his shoulder and stuck out, (Y/n) flashing and shoving it farther in. Ichinose fell back with a cry, the blade burying itself into the ground underneath him as she stood on it and aimed the other two at his neck. It was the first time she had used the technique while herself and she could hear the other part of her laugh proudly.
"You're under arrest, Ichinose Maki," (Y/n) placed a foot on his chest and sighed. She imagined he thought he was quick when his hand rose and his palm aimed at her. She stabbed into it, pinning his hand to the ground as he cried out. "Don't be cheeky and surrender."
Something hard slammed into her, sending her into the side of a building and creating a crater. Copper filled her mouth but she didn't open it. She swallowed, looking up at the metal doll as it giggled.
"Will you take my love," it sang. The bount lifted Ichinose over his shoulder and glanced over. (Y/n) flashed in front of him as he turned his head, stabbing into his gut. She was stabbed into her, a grunt leaving her lips as she was lifted from her feet and thrown. (Y/n) barely pulled her head up when she was lifted by her neck.
"A warning, woman," the heavy set bount smirked and slammed her into the wall. She gasped as one of her blades pressed through her shoulder and into the wall. The same was done with the another and the last was placed just under her feet. She was released and she cried out, the blades tearing at her shoulders. Finding purchase on the blade at her feet was also painful, the blade digging into the soles of her feet.
The bount supported Ichinose who seemed horrified before leaving (Y/n) like that. She didn't know what time it was when she was strung up like that but it was an hour past sunrise when she heard footsteps. They passed and then backtracked, (Y/n) raising her head. She jerked back, Tatsuki staring right at her with a look of shock on her face. Fear filled her chest, her hands shaking as they rose with her palms facing the black haired girl.
"Tat- Tatsuki, breath," she warned in a croak. The scream that left the girl's mouth had (Y/n) covering her mouth, letting the three blades slice into her more. "I said breath."