as years pass | kyoraku shunsui

fourteen - 'across the seriete'

Sometimes, Shunsui couldn't help but to sit back and wonder how he got himself into certain situations. Even as he observed the world around him, as he watched the events unfold, he still couldn't understand the simple question of how?

Take the current situation our leading male found himself in, trapped in his own office with seemingly no means of escape. Shunsui sat with his elbows on his desk and his hands folded across one another. In front of him sat Captains Hirako and Otoribashi, both of whom had waltzed in so casually a couple of minutes ago. Lisa, stationed at her own desk, seemed amused by their presence.

"So what is it that brought you fine gents all the way out here, again?" Shunsui asked as he quirked a brow at both of his peers. "As flattered as I am, you're neither one the kind to drop by without reason."

"I'm offended you think of us in such a way!" Hirako sighed. "Would it be so unprecedented for Rose and I to come see you out of the kindness of our hearts?!"

"Actually, yes," Shunsui gave a tart laugh. "You particularly have been on my ass for the past couple of months, Captain Hirako. In fact, if I had to guess, I'd say the real reason you're both here is to pester me about my personal life."

Yes, in the two months since Shuriken and Urahara had begun dating, Shunsui had returned to his typical self in many ways! The biggest problem that he had yet to work through, however, was that he'd not so much as been in the same room as Shuriken since their last dinner with Jushiro and Urahara. She'd stopped by several times, yes, but Shunsui had (conveniently) been out of the office at that time. Aside from the rare instance that Yamamoto needed him, Shunsui had made sure that he avoided the First at all costs, too, which really limited the chances he had to run into Shuriken.

This wasn't something that Shunsui enjoyed doing, and in fact, every time he fled from her he felt like a pitiful coward. Shunsui, one of the strongest and most formidable captains in the Soul Society, still didn't have the balls to talk to his best friend.

It's not like it's going to be this way forever, though. As soon as I'm out of this funk, everything will go back to normal. Or at least, as normal as things could be when Shunsui's heart was shattered and hers was in the hands of another man. A man that, no matter how kind or funny or attractive he was, would never be able to give Shuriken the kind of love that Shunsui himself could.

"You're so snippy," Hirako rolled his eyes. "It's no wonder--"

Before Shunsui had a chance to scold the Fifth captain, Rojuro interrupted their conversation. "We've actually just come to ask for your opinion on our music choices for the festival. Captain Hirako and I have been unable to come to an agreement, so we thought we'd come to see what you thought we should do."

"Uh-huh," Shunsui hummed, his half-lidded eyes moving slowly from Rojuro to Hirako and back again. "And you both really expect me to believe that? Is that the best you could come up with?"

"I think you should be flattered, captain," Lisa chimed in. Shunsui gazed at her from the corner of his eye. "Out of everyone in the Seriete, they chose you to come to."

He wished that she wouldn't encourage them like that. Lisa had been so good to Shunsui during all of this, giving him space when he needed it and - more often than not - a kick in the ass when self-pity overcame him. Where would Shunsui be without Lisa, his kind lieutenant who just happened to enjoy watching him suffer at times?

"And that's all it has to do with, huh?" Shunsui would've been a fool to believe the blatant lie from Rojuro, but that was neither here nor there. "I'm so very sorry for misjudging your intentions, captains. Please, share with me the options you've come up with."