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Ichigo found the guy entirely by mistake. There's little reason for Ichigo to leave Karakura but Namimori isn't that far away either which means that when something, for whatever reason, goes down in this dimension's Namimori and Ichigo is bored enough to investigate, he does. Flashstep takes him all the way there in perhaps a ten-minute stroll, if not shorter and well, there's… not much going on. A bunch of people fighting over jewellery. Ichigo shrugs, watches on with some bemusement but doesn't really intervene. He knows nobody is dead, he would see the soul leaving the body.
He likes some of the challengers, though. Especially the long-haired swordsman, Ichigo can appreciate loyalty and the guy would fit right in with the eleventh division. Perhaps he's paying far too much attention to that guy, however, because when he follows the men sedately to their aeroplane, the boss keeps sending suspicious looks around and slowly but surely the guy becomes a paranoid mess. And Ichigo… well, he doesn't advertise it all that often but he does have something of a dark sense of humour and the guy was a complete asshole to a fourteen-year-old, so…
Gargantas are useful for many things, one of them is to randomly pop out around this Xanxus guy and follow until he's seconds away from losing his patience before disappearing away. Not a nice thing to do but ah… Xanxus isn't nice either and Ichigo has to find some amusement somewhere these days. He does help out a little, sometimes, if out of hilarity. The first time he did it, it was a mistake. Xanxus had been tearing through his room, looking for a particular set of feathers he apparently couldn't remember where he put down in the first place and Ichigo had been standing right by them and completely exasperated at Xanxus ignoring him hard enough to miss them.
So he'd picked them up and, instead of being an ass like this guy, Ichigo didn't throw them but set them down inches away from the assassin's hand. The hilarity occurred when Ichigo was reminded that Xanxus can't see him. The poor guy had frozen in shock, paled about two shades lighter and grabbed the box before booking it out of the room. He'd come back a second later, very clearly stated that he meant no offence and was thankful for the help, all the while looking ill about having to use manners. (The horror.)
There are many things to do in Soul Society, however, and so Ichigo had been forced to leave his new hobby alone for a while. Except that, while he was walking around the fifth's compound, he felt a tug. Like a call for his attention, not entirely impolite but very clearly clumsy. Not that Ichigo minds the politeness of the call, he is more intrigued by the fact there is a call at all. So he told Shinji he'd be right back and off he went, guided by instinct to meet whoever it is that is calling.
Who is calling, turns out to be, of course, Xanxus. Some of the insults the guy is muttering under his breath are amusing but Ichigo is more concentrated on the little table Xanxus is sitting crossed legged in front of. To be fair, Ichigo thinks, it's not every day one gets called by a lit black candle. It doesn't take him long to note it as an altar, an altar for him and it actually works if Ichigo being called here has anything to do about it. Of course, he could have ignored it but eh.. he is there already. So Ichigo stays, out of curiosity.
The altar itself is simple, if elegant. It has the black, already flickering candle, a little offering bowl, a small platter for incense and a beautifully decorated red fabric covering the altar's table. Ichigo blinks in surprise, notes the incense sticks that are balanced on Xanxus's knee and decides he would rather like the one that it's closest to him but he's not picky.
"Uhm, hello?" Xanxus offers, looking like he's not sure what he's doing himself and can't even believe that he's doing it, to begin with.
"Hello," Ichigo answers, more amused than anything else. To both their surprises, the candle's flame grows, getting long and thin. The flickering stops to give way to a calm, healthy flame.
"Alright, I'm losing my mind," Xanxus drags his hand over his face with a grimace. "Fucking Zero Point, there's no other explanation." What is Zero Point? But Ichigo doesn't get a chance to ask, Xanxus just squares his shoulders and soldiers on, "ok. I'm taking that as a yes. It's either that, or I'm talking to a candle. Fuck it. Uhmm, I got incense, I don't know which one you want?"
Ichigo doesn't answer to that, just shrugs, which surprisingly makes the flame sway lightly, not enough for Xanxus to notice but Ichigo is zeroed in on it so he does. Interestingly, it feels like it's responding to him. Hu.
"Right," Xanxus looks around before concentrating on the candle itself. He picks up his three sticks and shows them off, displaying them for the candle so Ichigo walks around the table and stands behind it. If only to be able to see them better. Xanxus looks at the sticks, picks up a lighter and then informs, "vanilla?"
Since Ichigo wouldn't mind vanilla but doesn't like it either, he shrugs. "I don't care," the flame sways again, more noticeable. He thinks he might be figuring out the candle thing, though. It's responding to his spiritual energy, he's pretty sure.
"Rose?" Xanxus blinked when the flame moved but seemed to interpret the lacklustre response correctly.
That's… Ichigo wrinkles his nose, "no." In response, the flame remains entirely still.
Xanxus nods like he's just proven something to himself. "Juniper?"
Well, something in it seems right to Ichigo so he nods, "yeah, that one. Hurry and light it up, we need to figure out what this is. I swear, if you pull out an ouija board, I'm hiding all your feathers."
The flame flickers wildly, which might have to do with Ichigo's spirited response but Xanxus doesn't know that. He just nods slowly again, taken aback. "Right, juniper it is," he lights it and sets it carefully on its plate. "There, that's my offering, by the way."
Ichigo deadpans, staring pointedly at his empty offering bowl. Somehow, his disdain must have been projected because Xanxus's shoulders raise. "How was I supposed to know!"
"Whatever," Ichigo waves him away. "Why did you call me? How?"
Not that Xanxus can hear him, of course. Maybe Ichigo could try to project it? But Xanxus just shrugs, sitting back. "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going crazy," fair enough. "I don't actually know what I'm doing," evidently. Neither does Ichigo, to be fair. "Whatever, I'm just going to sleep, maybe if we do this again tomorrow we'll eventually figure it out?"
"Alright," Ichigo decides, that's fair. And it took less than ten minutes, Ichigo can afford this little ritual. Still, he makes the candle flicker in agreement when Xanxus shows him a snuffer but he very pointedly makes his little offering bowl rattle. It just seems silly for it to be there but empty.
"Fine!" Xanxus snorts but then freezes, relaxing only as time passes by and nothing terrible happens. "Right, uh, bye," and with that, he snuffs the candle.
With a hum, Ichigo watches the man stand up before opening up a Garganta and leaving. What an interesting development. Ichigo has been… unalive for a while now. He never did die but a human body can just take so much power so… he's effectively stuck in soul form. Of course, Ichigo could use a gigai but it feels uncomfortable, too constrained and it's not worth the effort. Not when both his sisters can see him just fine now and Ichigo doesn't fit into the human world anymore, not without his sisters or friends there to anchor him to it. He doesn't want to be officially under anybody's authority, however, so he's also not a soul reaper, legally speaking. Ichigo is milking his unalive but technically not dead status as best he can. It means, though, that Ichigo is left to wander. He's not part of the human world anymore, not completely part of the soul society and not quite part of the hollow world either.
Ichigo dislikes few things less than being directionless but that's where he stands right now. Unless conflict breaks out and then Ichigo has things to do. He fights and then he helps to rebuild, over and over again in a never-ending cycle. It's good but… there isn't always a conflict and in those moments, Ichigo is left to feel just how much he doesn't fit anywhere. He likes Xanxus, though. It's funny to mess with the guy. And the little altar is nice, too. Ichigo should probably investigate that, figure out how to communicate with the guy properly. Xanxus is trying, after all, it's only fair.
When the next call comes in, Ichigo is both ready and not. He's done helping out with moving the ruble but he's also dirty and a little covered in blood, turns out not all the enemies were as gone as they initially believed. Ichigo figures it's fine, Xanxus is both an assassin and can't see him anyway. A Garganta takes him directly where he wants to be. Ichigo looks over the room, takes in Xanxus sitting in the exact same place in the exact same position as last time and deadpans. An ouija board, of course. Ichigo huffs, stalks forward, grabs the thing and wacks Xanxus over the head with it.
"Ow!" Xanxus startles, arms coming up to defend himself, "what the fuck?!"
Unimpressed, Ichigo raises the board again in threat. "You moron, the altar works. What is to say the board won't? It's a portal, a portal, you idiot! What guarantee did you have that it was me coming out of it!? Hu?" Just in case, he opens a Garganta up and throws the board through it and to his mostly abandoned apartment.
Some of his anger must be clear somehow because Xanxus pales, palms wide open, "right, no ouija board. Got it."
"Damn right," Ichigo lights his candle again, ignoring that it was probably him waving the board around that snuffed it.
Xanxus just watches in amazement. "Right, full disclosure. I'm rude, I'm going to end up being rude. I'm not enough of an idiot to be rude to you on purpose. Can't kill dead people."
Not true but eh, semantics. Xanxus can't and that's what the man is probably getting at, "yeah, whatever." He makes the flame flicker to signify his agreement.
"Right," Xanxus nods again, "I've got no idea of who you are, what you are, what you like or what I am doing. But I guess what I am is crazy enough to want to know where the fuck this is going."
"Fuck it," Ichigo agrees, "why not?" The flame flickers again.
"Ok then," Xanxus cleans his hands in his pants and carefully pours some wine in a goblet Ichigo hasn't noticed until then.
Hu. Ichigo would like to try it, actually. The taste of wine fills his mouth and Ichigo blinks, swallowing on instinct. It's good, has a nice kick to it. Way better than all that cheap sake Shinji keeps piling him with. And this method is convenient, Ichigo approves.
"Alright," Xanxus looks around, resting his elbow on a knee and his cheek on his fist. "I wanted to know who you are, that's why…" he gestures to where the ouija board used to be.
Ichigo's eyebrow twitches. That's a hard no. But it's also true that the flame only allows for yes and no answers, Ichigo could just grab a pen and a paper from the desk but then it's already proven that Ichigo moving things around freaks Xanxus out. There's a line between dark humour and just being outright cruel. Considering that this seems to be Xanxus's private space, he doesn't want Xanxus to feel unsafe here. He calls more of the wine to his mouth and thinks it through but he does make the flame flicker if only to signify his willingness to answer.
"That's something, I guess," Xanxus, of all things, opens up a notebook. "I did some research."
Of course he did, Ichigo twitches, feeling uncomfortably fond by the obvious effort Xanxus put into it. The notes are colour coded and there are still pen marks in his hands. On his candle, the flame grows, lengthens and a thin line of smoke starts.
Xanxus hides his face in his notes, grabbing a pen from beside his leg. "You're… pleased? Happy?"
Oh ho, again. Either Ichigo is projecting selectively and doesn't know how to control it or Xanxus can pick up on what Ichigo is feeling somehow. Maybe a combination of both. Still, Ichigo sits cross-legged on the table with the candle just by his side and makes the flame flicker. Xanxus picks up a smaller notebook and writes on it and Ichigo chuckles, calling more of the wine to him. "Curious, I guess if you can't see spirits since you can remember, then it's strange to suddenly find one."
"Are you a ghost?" Xanxus seems to be expecting a positive answer, by the way, he's almost ready to reach for the next thing but Ichigo thinks about it, is he? He is a soul and he does have spiritual power but ghosts are generally pluses and Ichigo isn't one, not really. So he doesn't flicker his candle.
"Oh," Xanxus blinks, putting down the bundle he was reaching for. "Oh shit. Ok, fuck. I guess it's not surprising, a bunch of assassins living in the same space, makes sense." Xanxus steels himself, unable to see Ichigo's arched eyebrow, "are you a demon?"
Very carefully, Ichigo doesn't laugh. It might make his candle flicker and then Xanxus would take the wrong answer. He's part hollow, however. His transformation even has horns so he supposes that many would look at him, feel the unsettling sensation of his hollow power on their skin and call him a demon. It's not really true but Ichigo can see where it comes from, he can lose control if properly pushed. So he shrugs, making the flame sway slightly.
"That's... not a yes," Xanxus deflates like he's not sure what to make of it. "So not a ghost, not really a demon. But maybe something similar? Something people might confuse for a demon?"
"Maybe," Ichigo lets the flame flicker. Good enough, as far as he's concerned.
"I need to do more research."
Ichigo looks at the clock, takes in how tired Xanxus looks like and forces his will on the flame instead of letting it simply pick up his answers. He makes it long and strong and pointedly and unnaturally signalling in the bed's direction. "Sleep, you idiot. It's a thing."
"You… want me to go to bed?" Ichigo supposes that Xanxus's incredulity is understandable so he just hums, letting the flame stand upright again, flicker and then points it like an arrow once more. "This is insane. But fine, the whatever it is that's talking to me from a candle wants me to sleep, fuck it. Why not?"
Xanxus stands up, stretches and disappears into the bathroom after snuffing the candle. Ichigo hums, tries to call some more wine to him and frowns when it's harder to materialize it directly into his mouth without the candle being lit. Eh, it's not like he's going to burn down the place while Xanxus showers so he relits his candle and continues with his drinking. The ouija was a terrible idea, he decides, savouring the taste of his offering, but the underlying reason is still there. They do need a better way to communicate with one another. Tarot cards? Though Ichigo knows little of them. A pendulum? Maybe he could write his answers in a notebook if Xanxus leaves one on his altar.
It's fair, Ichigo decides. This is Xanxus's room and Ichigo will respect that, he might troll the man sometimes but other than that he'll respect that. And yet the altar is Ichigo's space so if he can somehow communicate that Ichigo would like pen and paper, he can wait until Xanxus is not around to freak out and just… answer the questions. Are spirits supposed to be able to do that? Then again, since when was Ichigo a normal spirit? The point is that he can and why shouldn't he? And no, Soul Society's rules are not that important. They break them themselves all the time anyway.
Just then, Xanxus comes out of the bathroom and stares. "Did you just...?" He comes back to the altar, blinking when he looks down and notices the goblet is almost empty. The last of it disappears right in front of his eyes. Ichigo's lips quirk up in amusement at his expression, he flickers the flame, points at the bed once more and then snuffs the flame again himself.
"Ok then," Xanxus picks up the smaller notebook, writes some things down and then sets it down before pivoting on his feet. "Fuck it, I'm sleeping in."
Ichigo watches him go in bemusement, waiting patiently until the man falls asleep before turning to the small notebook precariously balanced right in the corner of his altar. "Look at that," he snorts, picking it up and arching a brow at the observations about his flame and the wine. Under that, though, written in big bold letters is the first question Xanxus asked of him. Ichigo hums, picks up the pen and writes Ichigo, using the kanji that make up his name. He stays a little longer, watching over Xanxus as he sleeps like a silent sentinel before he opens up another Garganta and leaves.
When the next call comes, Ichigo is expecting it. The next day but exactly the same time, Ichigo appreciates the consistency of it. He's also happy to note that there's not even a hint of the damn ouija board around. Xanxus is, like Ichigo expected, sitting cross-legged in front of the altar. This time, Ichigo goes directly to the table and sits on it, letting the flame grow tall and still to signify his own arrival even as he hums in satisfaction. Good, Xanxus looks like he had a productive day but he also looks better rested.
Satisfaction, it seems, makes his flame crackle. Ichigo waits in amusement as Xanxus writes that down, apparently having forgotten that he's not even welcomed Ichigo this time. Of course, he draws the line when the man begins trying to cross-reference his notes. Somewhat gently, Ichigo pushes the bottle he presumes is going to be his offering of the day. The sound of it scraping against the floor grabs Xanxus's attention and he resurfaces, blinking down at the alcohol. "Oh, right. Hello?"
"Hi," Ichigo snorts. "Studying, I see. How do you even have the time? The last time I followed you around, you were swamped in work." Christmas time is apparently a very profitable period for assassins, who knew?
"The wine," Xanxus pours it gently into the goblet and then places the thing back on the table. "Anyway, my notebook," Xanxus grabs the thing, lifting it up for the flame to see.
With an exasperated huff, Ichigo gently pushes the hand up and to the left so it's actually showing Ichigo the notebook. It wouldn't be a problem to look down but it's the principle of the thing. "My notebook, you left it on my altar."
"You…" Xanxus stills but then he shakes his head, opening the notebook and showing Ichigo his own writing. "Was this you?"
"Yeah," the flame flickers.
"Alright, first protector." Xanxus stares at the flame, tall and thin and smoking once more, "and not a ghost, not a demon but can be confused with one." The flame flickers again. "Got it," Xanxus writes that down. "What do you protect?"
Ichigo rolls his eyes, "what does it matter if I tell you? You can't hear me!" He taps the notebook, making sure Xanxus feels the pressure, "write it down."
"Ok, got you, I think," Xanxus writes his question down and then looks around, setting the notebook down. "Well, my paranoia is calmer at least. It's something. I'm slowly getting better at this."
"True," Ichigo admits, taking some of this wine. "Though the paranoia was funny."
"Right, so I investigated what can be not a ghost but also not a demon and look, are you human?"
Is he? He was but Ichigo hadn't felt like he belonged in the human world long before his human body started giving out. He's part Quincy, part hollow, part soul reaper with the added spices that's whatever new power he acquires like collection cards. So in a sense, he is, if only a part of him and yet… the sad truth is that he doesn't feel human anymore. "I guess not," Ichigo admits slowly. "I used to be though."
The confession is safe, if only because the only other person in this room can't hear him. Xanxus just watches the flame intently, growing paler as time goes by and the flame doesn't move. "Not human then," his voice is faint. "Look at that, there's the paranoia again," Xanxus stands up, grabbing the snuffer. "Let me just… process this. See you tomorrow, alright?"
Fair enough, Ichigo shrugs, making the flame flicker but not letting it die. Ichigo still has wine and he has no intention of leaving just yet, he can feel it, just at the edges of his senses. Xanxus stares at the flame that refuses to die, looks at the wine and then turns back to the candle, "do you want to finish the wine first?"
"Yup," Ichigo makes it flicker, popping the p but most of his attention is on the warning signs his senses are giving him. "Off you go, to bed with you."
Again, Ichigo waits until Xanxus is asleep before he moves from his spot. The problem is that Ichigo knows this is stupid and yet… Xanxus is trying and no matter how much his friends try as well, there's been a long time since Ichigo felt like he belongs. But Xanxus has no concept of who Ichigo is and yet… he's trying so hard, just to understand and Ichigo is not used to this. To the research and the carefully selected wine, the consistency of somebody cleaning up space especially for him and then inviting him over every night so… well, Ichigo is fond, he's always been easy like that.
Ichigo offers his protection far too easily, he knows that but… it's only fair, isn't it? Xanxus gives him wine because Ichigo likes it, Ichigo can do this little thing for him. He stands, walking up to the sleeping man and hums, Kidou was never his best subject but he can do this much: a barrier forms around the room, a simple if overpowered one. Everything can go out but only Xanxus and anybody who means him no harm can come in, easy enough. The hollow hoping for easy prey crashes against it and Ichigo unsheathes his sword, going to deal with the issue.
When he comes back, Xanxus hasn't so much as stirred. Ichigo hums, sitting down on his altar once more and picking the notebook back up. 'Who do you protect?' That's both easy and complicated. Ichigo sighs, picks up the pen and writes down: 'whoever needs it. Whoever I want to protect.'
There are parts of other questions scratched out above that, however. Before the notes of this session even, Xanxus must have written it down before Ichigo came. Ichigo looks down at it, bites his lip and decides on answering anyway. 'Why not you? I like your swordsman but you noticed me, it was funny.' Dammit, Ichigo. He shouldn't get invested this quickly, 'your room is safe. I put a barrier around it.' Though it's sensible for an assassin to be worried about potential breaches to his safe space. And then, just because he likes being a little shit sometimes, he adds: 'my notebook. You left it on my altar.'
They fall into a routine after that, Ichigo either helps with the fighting in Soul Society or Hueco Mundo and the cleaning afterwards in Soul Society or he wanders until Xanxus calls for him. Then Ichigo takes his offering and they both talk at each other if not to each other simply because Xanxus can't hear him and there's just so far yes and no answers can help them along. Ichigo does write some in the notebook, however, but even then… he's alright with letting things develop slowly for the first time in his life. Xanxus isn't a coward but he's understandably skittish about this new world he seems to have stumbled upon.
Which is just as well, if Xanxus wasn't careful, Ichigo would bash his head in for the added stress alone.
Xanxus is meditating right now, eyes closed and breathing even. He's good at this. To this day, meditation doesn't come easy to Ichigo, who watches on silently. Ichigo has been doing his own research, he's even gone to Kisuke to inquire if this is something that happens sometimes. Not with soul reapers, had been the answer. Ichigo couldn't even be bothered to feel surprised at the new abnormality he seems to have developed. Still, there is a big part of him that finds amusement in the fact that he's sitting here, watching Xanxus meditate because a book informed Xanxus that meditation is necessary for his foray into protection magick.
Why not? The altar works, doesn't it? Ichigo isn't about to snub it. He's done his own research too, this concept is familiar now. Kisuke did pile mountains of research on him and then proceeded to ask for updates. Trust that scientist to enthusiastically delve into any new craziness Ichigo finds himself in. "You obviously know meditation already," Ichigo huffs, idly tasting the last of his wine on his tongue. "Do something more productive."
At that, Xanxus flinches, eyes wide. "Fuck," he stills before bolting upright and pacing in front of the altar. "Something more productive? Was that you?"
"Well, shit," Ichigo leans back, absently making the candle flicker. "Yeah, it was me. Can you hear me?"
"Oh," Xanxus goes back to his cushion, slowly sinking back down as he sits. "Fuck that's both terrifying and fascinating. Ok, more productive, like what?"
"Like a next step, I don't know. What do you want to do?" But he has the sinking suspicion that Xanxus can't hear him anymore. "Or maybe," Ichigo clicks his tongue, watching Xanxus fall back into a meditative state once more, "you never could. I think you can feel me better like this." That's what it looks like, at least. He can feel it in the back of his mind, the way his curiosity is identified, acknowledged and then proded. Ichigo taps his fingers against the wood, Xanxus is trying to learn to protect himself and though Ichigo has been maintaining the barrier, he respects the initiative.
"Let me show you," Ichigo murmurs, concentrating on some of the research he did himself. Xanxus wants to protect himself and Ichigo can think of a thing or two he can pass along this way. He sits down in front of Xanxus, noting that meditation makes Xanxus's mind more accessible through this strange connection that has been steadily growing between them. So he paints an image of Xanxus with his hand raised in front of his chest, a little ball of grey light between his hands like the one Ichigo learned so long ago, back when he needed to break into Soul Society.
In front of him, Xanxus stills but he does raise his hands tentatively, hands open and almost touching but a distance apart. Ichigo watches him struggle through the process until he seems to get the idea of what he needs to do even if the control is not there yet. Only then does Ichigo raise his own hands, placing them over Xanxus's and helping him stabilize the sphere. It's enough to make Xanxus startle again, almost enough to make him lose what control he has but he wrestles it back. Ichigo snorts, pushing the image of Xanxus spreading his hands, the sphere growing with it until it covers Xanxus's body.
"Ok," Xanxus breathes deeply, following instructions. Ichigo lets his own hands be moved, concentrating on helping Xanxus maintain the shape and pouring a little more power into it when he feels it's starting to become too thin.
When they're done, Xanxus sways a little and Ichigo clicks his tongue, "bed." He makes sure the image is passed along.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm going."
The next time Ichigo sees Xanxus, it's not because he's called but because he feels the barrier they wove together shatter. It takes the hit, disables it and then takes another and another after that until finally, it goes down, the barrier dissolving into nothing. He's in the middle of training with Kisuke, both of them more than a little bloodied, adrenaline rushing through their bodies when Ichigo feels it and freezes, ignoring Kisuke's hastily averted blow. An instinctive part of him stills, just a brief moment before it snarls, like a challenge and a promise all wrapped up in a simple question: who dares?
Ichigo whirls around, opening the Garganta and stepping through it without a second thought. He's aware of Kisuke following behind him, cunning and more reserved but as loyal as he's ever been. They appear just in time to deflect the chain, Zangetsu taking the hit, black-crimson energy pulsing in fury as Ichigo pushes Xanxus bodily back, he ignores Xanxus's exclamation of surprise. But he trusts Kisuke's shield to turn his attention on the man, all the same, Xanxus is a little bruised, a little battered but he's not otherwise injured. And yet, Xanxus's eyes are wide, lips parted, "you… what?"
Something to explore, maybe it's the strange fire in Xanxus's hands or maybe it's the situation itself or the amount of corrupted spiritual energy in the air, courtesy of the zombified attackers Xanxus seems to be facing for whatever reasons. Oh, they're going to have words when this is over. If Xanxus knew he was facing the supernatural, he should have called for Ichigo right away, the impertinent, reckless moron. It's enough that Ichigo is aware of just how mortal he is, he doesn't need to be reminded like this. Xanxus could have died if he had been just a little bit slower.
"You overstep your bounds, Soul Reaper," one of the zombies growls, his small body parting the rest of his kind like he's trying to make an entrance.
"Oh?" Ichigo tilts his head, almost glad that somebody volunteered for his stress relief. "I'm no Soul Reaper," to make the point, Ichigo lifts his hand, feels his mask materialize and ignores the intake of breath behind him. "But I'll rip you to pieces alright, didn't anybody teach you not to touch what's not yours?"
Mini-Zombie falters for a second before he straightens, chains lashing out. Ichigo snorts, the fight can hardly be called a scuffle. He punts the Mini-Zombie hard enough against the floor that the guy passes out and then uses the hilt of Zangetsu to hit the rest of them hard enough to force them into following their leader's example. Behind him, the humans are still, if freaking out. All of them but Xanxus who's staring in a mixture of fascination and terrified understanding. Oh yes, he's not escaping that talk, the little shit, scaring Ichigo like this.
"Ichigo," Kisuke reaches to touch his hand, looking over the fallen forms around the hybrid's feet. "Perhaps reign in your anger for now?" His fan gestures at the humans for a second.
"Fine," Ichigo wrestles the anger out of his spiritual force and walks sedately to Xanxus, eyes checking over him slowly. He's about to start his lecture when Kisuke springs between them, just enough to slow Ichigo down but not enough to block him.
"Good day," Kisuke waves his fan, smiling his best customer smile. "Can you see us both or only Ichigo?"
"Both," but Xanxus is looking only at Ichigo, a little pale. "Ah, who…?"
"Call me Urahara," Kisuke hums, intrigued, "you must be Xanxus. Is there somewhere we could talk in private?"
"Ah, yes."
"Boss," the swordsman Ichigo had liked in the beginning moves closer, sword warily ready for use even as he tries his hardest to see who his boss is speaking with. "Who is here?"
"Ichigo," Xanxus sounds almost hopeful, "the other one I don't know. He says to call him Urahara."
"He was my teacher," Ichigo inclines his head, fondness calming some of his anger if only momentarily. But Kisuke is beaming and Xanxus looks full of wonder. "He's one of mine."
"...Ok," the swordsman nods slowly, "alright. And who are Ichigo and Urahara?"
"And why can't we see them?" The cursed baby mutters, energy flickering around them uselessly.
Xanxus shrugs, a little self-conscious, "Ichigo is uh… my entity? The one I've been talking to through the altar. Urahara, I don't know. Never met him before but he came with Ichigo."
"We were saved by ghosts, fuck it. Why the fuck not," the swordsman whirls around, pointing at a giant man with a ridiculous hairdo. "This is your fault, somehow. You got him into the occult, don't think I didn't see the books you gave him."
"Not a ghost!" Ichigo's eyebrow twitches which somehow manages to make both Xanxus and Kisuke jump into action. One more effectively than the other, if only because the only ones who can hear Kisuke's attempts to herd them in the right direction are Xanxus and Ichigo.
He's still effective, though. Nobody can accuse Urahara of being anything but adaptive. He realizes quickly that the humans might not be able to hear him but they can feel the sting of his fan. So off he goes, snapping with his fan at anybody who so much as tries to linger. Ichigo follows calmly, watching the commotion with some amusement and closing the door after himself when they finally make it all the way to the hotel room. Ichigo lets them all settle down, ignores the cacophony of questions around them and stalks his way to Xanxus, who is too distracted by his men to notice.
Lifting Zangetsu up ominously, Ichigo lets a vindictive little smile paint his face and firmly wacks Xanxus over the head with the hilt. "You idiot!"
"Ow!" Xanxus whirls in place, frowning at Ichigo, "what the fuck!"
"So you can call me, in the middle of the day," Ichigo crosses his arms, "because you want to rant about your dad but you can't call me when you're being attacked by undead people?"
"Undead people?" Xanxus repeats slowly. "You… I didn't have your candle!"
For that, Ichigo wacks him over the head again. "You have my name!"
"I'm sure this is a delightful conversation," the man with dyed red hair announces suddenly. "But we'd like to be part of it so I got an app." The guy, Lussuria, Ichigo is pretty sure, can't see it but Kisuke is looking over his shoulder curiously. Lussuria just puts the phone down in the middle of the table and stares at it, without blinking.
"What?" Ichigo walks closer if only to try and figure it out.
Surprisingly, the phone repeats it. If in a different voice.
"How interesting," Kisuke taps his fan. "I wonder if I could make one myself."
Ichigo takes a moment to nod his agreement and his belief that of course Kisuke can before he pivots and wacks Xanxus again, "and you were going to use an ouija board! Can't your phone download this app too? Then this shit happens and you didn't call me, you obviously can't be left alone again! Letting himself be killed because he doesn't have a candle," Ichigo throws his hands up in the air, turning to Kisuke with a scowl. "Make sure he doesn't fall on his face and dies or something, I'll be back. I'm dealing with this."
"Of course, Ichigo," the scientist might be hiding his laughter behind his fan but Ichigo is on to him.
He walks perhaps three steps out of the room before he comes back, pointing Zangetsu at Xanxus. "Don't think you're not in trouble! As soon as this is dealt with you're sitting your ass in front of my altar. You'll be practising barriers until I'm satisfied, so help me. If it breaks you put a stronger one back up!" With that, he flash-steps away.
Kisuke waits until Ichigo is truly gone to chuckle. He turns around, sitting down by the table and setting Benihime across his lap, he could chastise the young man but… it's not him but Ichigo who has taken the human under his care. Still, "he's fond of you."
"I know," Xanxus shrugs, eyeing Kisuke carefully. "I can feel it," when Kisuke says nothing to that, he continues, "you were his teacher?"
"I was, yes." Kisuke takes in the silence in the room, the way this man's subordinates are listening in curiously, almost protectively. It's cute, "ask your questions, I might not answer but I won't take offence, I like curious people." Kisuke is a scientist, after all.
"What are you?"
"Me or Ichigo?" Kisuke's mouth tilts up in amusement, "we are not the same. I was a Soul Reaper, a Captain and then I wasn't anymore. Now I'm a Soul Reaper but an exile and my loyalty is to Ichigo first." But just to make things clear, "he's fond of you, I won't harm you. Don't make him regret it," the unspoken or I'll deal with it makes Xanxus pale, but he doesn't tremble.
Instead, he nods. "What is Ichigo?"
"Oh, that depends," Kisuke shrugs, hiding his smile behind his fan. "He can't be defined, I admit but if I was to slap a label on him… he's a hybrid. A protector, sword and shield rolled into one." A weapon, Kisuke doesn't say, no matter the deep-seated guilt, it's not for this man to see. Soul Society treats him like one, Hueco Mundo worships him for it and the Living World can't handle his sheer power. Not for long. And yet, this human might just be it.
Kisuke blinks, dispersing the thoughts. "He offered protection and guidance, if not in so many words, didn't he?" He offers quietly, watching the human take that in, fit it in what he already knows.
Xanxus blinks and stills, eyes widening comically, "wait! He isn't human, I don't think he's just a spirit either. Not with that much power, they're not supposed to be able to interact with this realm as easily as Ichigo does, he moves things all over the place without breaking a sweat. He wiped the floor with the fucking Vindice!" Xanxus stops, mouth open and fingers tightening on his armrests, "he's a god, he has to be."
That's a leap of logic. Still, Kisuke chuckles, Ichigo is going to kill him for this but ah… isn't he as close as? Ichigo with the power to defeat gods and the mercy of one, Ichigo who is lacking a purpose and had latched on to this human who gives him offerings and tells him about his day. Kisuke tilts his head, "you could say that."
The Varia wait until Xanxus is safely asleep, comforted by the fact that a god's minion is watching over him before they all sneak into Squalo's room. They all look silently at one another, nobody making a move until Mammon steps forward. "We have no way of knowing he's with Xanxus and not us."
"Ichigo told him to protect the boss," Leviathan contradicts, "even if he is with us he wouldn't neglect his god's command."
"I've found nothing on any god called Ichigo, nothing."
"Regardless," Lussuria interrupts, "I won't jeopardize this. And the boss believes it, I'll trust him."
Squalo makes a face but he nods, "this god… he protected the boss. He wasn't called, nobody told him but he somehow knew and came to protect him. God or not, it's a layer of protection the boss won't protest." And the boss is a prideful man, commander of the Varia as he is; he needs very little protection and explodes at the implication of ever being given any.
"This is a war god," Belphegor laughs delightedly. "Our boss has been chosen by a war god."
"More importantly," Lussuria hurries to add before Levi can join in on the boasting or Squalo can lose his temper, "if he is the boss's god then shouldn't we honour him too?"
"How could we?" Mammon floats closer to the window, "we know nothing of him."
"We know he's a war god," Squalo nods at Belphegor, "we know he calls himself First Protector, we know he's powerful. And Urahara called him both sword and shield. A hybrid."
"Boss has an altar," Levi reminds them, "we could make another in the Officer's communal room, maybe pay our respects before we leave or as we come in."
"Voi," Squalo taps on his phone, "I've got a list of the supplies he's bought." They all ignore Mammon's mutterings. "Not during the night, when the boss is in his room. That's when Xanxus talks to this god, just in case."
"Alright, leave the altar to me!" Lussuria is already deep diving into Pinterest boards.
When Ichigo returns in the middle of the night with bloodied knuckles, he makes his way to Xanxus's room and makes a beeline for Kisuke. They say nothing for a long moment, both basking in the beauty of the moonlight. Kisuke, silent and understanding, quietly supportive in that immovable way Ichigo has learnt to associate with him. And Ichigo letting his anger give way to the fear of what could have been and then feeling the fear driven away by the unforgettable energy exuding from both Xanxus and Kisuke. "I don't like this type of surprises."
"You don't like surprises at all," Kisuke smiles. "He'll learn, he's young."
"Aren't I too?" It's a token protest, of course. The time between realms moves differently and the time he's spent with Xanxus is most of the contents of Ichigo's stay in any of the living realms since the war stopped. He might still look the same age but Ichigo could be anywhere from some decades to a century older. These days, Ichigo loses track of time rather easily.
Kisuke knows this, so he just sends Ichigo a look. "So how do we move forward?"
"These zombies, they want revenge on Kawahira, who apparently used them as batteries for the trinisette," Ichigo looks back at the sleeping Xanxus and pours some of his own energy into the barrier Kisuke erected. "He's looking for replacements now."
"Ah, the trinisette. Extremely wasteful, that entire mechanism. I'll have something better by tomorrow, of course."
"Thank you," Ichigo huffs when Kisuke waves that away. "I'll keep the moron safe and then I'll ah… teach Kawahira some fucking manners."
"He's been rather insistent, hasn't he?" The almost constant pressure against their barrier intensifies for a moment before dissipating and starting again. "It'll almost be impressive if it wasn't so incredibly foolish."
It earns him a quirk of Ichigo's lips, "go. I'll explain the situation. If Xanxus has it in him to ask once I'm done with him."
If Kisuke leaves in a hurry it's because he's got an important task to finish. It has absolutely nothing to do with the evil gleam in Ichigo's eyes.
Xanxus wakes up the next morning with a strange feeling of foreboding. It takes him about five seconds to remember Ichigo's words before he groans and burrows deeper into the blankets. Fuck it, no way. The feeling of foreboding intensifies. Xanxus concedes defeat. He stands, stretches and goes outside to the living area to pick up his food. Yes, he does remember what Ichigo said about the altar but the god is also a mother-hen. There's no way he'll complain about Xanxus eating breakfast.
"Boss!" Lussuria ambushes him as soon as he shows up, "I made your favourite."
"Hu," he peers at the table and blinks. Lussuria went all out. This is either a celebration or an intervention. "Alright, spill, trash."
Lussuria pouts, Xanxus doesn't so much as twitch. Lussuria slumps and points to the altar in the corner, "so boss, since you said you had no candle and well we wouldn't want you to get in any more trouble with his Lord, then we went ahead and made you one."
His Lord? Ichigo thinks with some amusement, ignoring Xanxus's reply to go check this new altar out. It's cute, he likes Xanxus's better if only because that one was made with him in mind and this one was made to help Xanxus but it's still nice and it is a good token of support. Ichigo leans down, gently rubbing his finger over the hilt of the small knives. They're beautifully made, they wouldn't look out of place next to Zangetsu. Ichigo lights his own candle and then turns on the app on Lussuria's phone, "go eat, Xanxus. You're doing barrier practice today."
He watches Xanxus jump and then huff but he does as told, probably aware Ichigo is not in an indulgent mood. Though Ichigo's mood improves during breakfast, he spends most of his time looming right behind Xanxus and staring him down. It has Xanxus slowly but surely curling more around his food, looking increasingly nervous. Good, that should teach him to never again scare Ichigo like that, see how that ends up. What if Ichigo had hesitated? What if it wasn't Kisuke he was with but somebody else? Somebody who asked questions and stopped Ichigo from going right away.
No, better to curve this bad habit of Xanxus immediately.
Ichigo watches silently as Xanxus sits in front of this new altar, his men surrounding him curiously. As long as they don't intervene, Ichigo is fine with the unplanned audience. Xanxus lights the incense stick and fills the goblet with some wine. Ichigo ignores all of that, he might not be as angry as before, not as worried but he's still grimly determined. If Xanxus is going to have the bright idea of fighting against supernatural forces without Ichigo's help, then Ichigo is going to make damn sure the moron has all the tools that he needs. Ichigo refuses to have one of his die over something he could have changed.
"Right," Xanxus rubs his hands on his pants. "So barriers?"
"Oh," Ichigo promises darkly, ignoring the mechanical voice the app gives him, "until you drop."
Xanxus shivers but doesn't answer. Ichigo watches him struggle with the task but where he would have normally stepped in to help, he doesn't. Xanxus falters but struggles on, seemingly determined to get this over with. Ichigo could burst his bubble now but it'd distract him so Ichigo doesn't, he just hums, watching the barrier form, flimsy but good enough for a first attempt all by himself. Xanxus looks both triumphant and tired when he lets his concentration leave the barrier and it remains standing. "Got it!"
"Yeah," Ichigo raises his fingers and flicks it, watching it burst into pieces, making Xanxus flinch away. "Well? I told you, didn't I? If it falls, you pull it back up."
"Fuck," realization washes over Xanxus's face. "You…?"
"I?" Ichigo wacks him over the head, both over the language and because his indulgence levels are on the floor right now. "Get to it. Take so long again and I'll show you what happens when you get attacked without protection."
"Right," Xanxus mutters under his breath but he does start again so Ichigo doesn't call him out on it.
It takes them until lunchtime but the barrier does improve each time. Xanxus is panting by now, however, he looks like he's about two seconds away from dropping. Ichigo takes him in, not only the evident tiredness in his posture, but the shortness of breath, the sweat making his skin shimmer and Ichigo huffs, satisfied that, at least for the moment, his point has been sufficiently made. Still, he lifts his hand and pushes, breaking this barrier too, far too easily for his liking. Xanxus flinches, like he does every time but by now he gets to forming the barrier even before the previous one is completely gone.
Or he tries to. Xanxus makes a frustrated sound in the back of his throat, "I'm trying." It's both a plea and a question, "I can't."
"I know," Ichigo soothes, "this is your limit." But before Xanxus can lower his hands, Ichigo surrounds them with his and forms the barrier, black crimson-edged power answering to his call. "Do you understand now?" When Xanxus nods, Ichigo pushes him gently, "off to bed with you."
Instead of standing, Xanxus drops back on the floor and just falls asleep. Ichigo watches him and snorts, "the audacity of this brat." But he ignores the seemingly stunned audience to grab a pillow and a throw blanket from the couch just to make Xanxus more comfortable. If Xanxus's men are going to be part of this, they might as well get used to Ichigo's tendency of moving shit around when Xanxus is asleep. He does wonder, though, about how it must be like to watch both pillow and blanket seemingly float in the air.
Xanxus sleeps for hours under Ichigo's watchful gaze, his men working around him. They clean, they cook, they coordinate with the rest of their men. They even call this Tsuna-kid Xanxus likes to complain about all the time, they call him to warn them against the Vindice. Or Squalo calls his student, Ichigo likes him more and more. In return, the kid warns them that the Vindice are hunting them down. They're apparently convinced that whoever defeated them will inevitably attract Checkerface's attention. Ichigo can't even say they're wrong, not when this so-called Checkerface has been trying to take down his barrier since the night before.
Ichigo isn't pleased, not at all. If it wasn't so dangerous to take souls to Hueco Mundo, he'd take this bunch of humans and barricade them there until the threat had been dealt with. If it was only a mafia thing then Ichigo would advise, would push, maybe nudge things in the right direction without outright intervening but this isn't just a mafia thing. The Vindice and the trinisette make it both a supernatural situation and a matter of this realm's balance. In both of those Ichigo feels justified in taking over, Xanxus's abilities with the supernatural right now are limited to barrier making and nowhere near as good as what's needed for Vindice level opponents.
He's thinking about ways of increasing Xanxus's defences when Kisuke arrives, his illegal tunnel world gate opening just long enough to let the scientist step out. "Ichigo," the man waves with his fan. "I got everything we need with me."
"Good," Ichigo looks him over, feeling pleased when the man looks nowhere near as tired as Ichigo was dreading. "What do you need?"
"It can wait," Kisuke hums, smiling still at the still sleeping Xanxus. "I see you tired him out."
"Would you have done any different?" It might have been a good time ago but Ichigo still remembers how training used to go. "Kawahira is getting on my nerves."
"Ah, yes." But Kisuke doesn't follow that line of conversation, instead, he presses a necklace in Ichigo's hand.
"What's this?" Ichigo turns it over in his hand. It's a simple piece of jewellery, a braided black rope that doesn't stand out. But the pendants give Ichigo pause. His hollow mask, small and minimalistic but still recognizable, carved out of bone. And Zangetsu carved out of black tourmaline similarly.
"Pour some power into it and give it to him," Kisuke murmurs, body leaning into Ichigo's for a moment, just long enough to let Ichigo carry his weight for a second. "That way, even if he's not fast enough in raising another barrier…"
Tracing the pendants with a finger, Ichigo huffs before gently closing his fist around them. Ichigo closes his eyes, breathes deeply and then lets a trickle of his power into the necklace. "Will he know it's there?"
"Once it's in contact with him it should transfer to this living realm."
"Kisuke," Ichigo's mouth twitches up, "you always think of everything I want before I know I want it." He lets the scientist preen for a moment before adding, "any idea why they call me 'His Lord' now?"
"Ah," Kisuke chuckles nervously. "A misconception, I'm sure. And truly, Ichigo, when you think about it, is it even that off base? You were meant to be the Soul King, you just escaped in time."
Ichigo snorts, wacks Kisuke over the head and then kneels, slipping the necklace into Xanxus's open palm before standing once more. "I'll be back, I'll deal with Kawahira first," after that, they can deal with the Trinisette.
"Of course, of course," Kisuke waves him away. "I'll see to this follower of yours." He's lucky to escape only with another wack, really.