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The shoten was empty when Ichigo arrived there after school. It gave him a pause, but he doubted that it was something of note. Ururu and Jinta often dragged Tessai-san out recently. They were still kids, after all, no matter how mature they seemed when Ichigo had met them.
They’ve been at it ever since the war ended, he supposed, though he was not there at the beginning. But Yoruichi-san did mention in passing, once his powers were restored and he had taken a habit of spending most of his free time lounging in the shoten or sparring with Kisuke, that it has been unbearable for her to hang around “that pining idiot” as she put it, while Kisuke had been cooped up in his lab working on a way to restore the part of the soul Ichigo lost. He had a feeling others shared the sentiment.
It was awfully sweet of him, Ichigo admitted to himself eventually, once he had some time to take in the information and let go of the lingering feeling of betrayal. It still hurt sometimes, but he supposed he should have expected as much of a long lived genius that was incredibly bad with people whenever he got personally attached. At least according to Yoruichi-san, who probably knew the man better than he did himself at times.
And he supposed he understood the issues with tracking time if one was occupied with something and especially if eighteen months was really not that much in comparison with their entire lives. And it was nice to know the man actually cared, not avoided him for no reason whatsoever.
Though that did not stop Ichigo from taking some petty revenge. Even Kisuke’s supply of annoying striped hats had its limit, after all. He refused to talk about any other motives he might or might not have had in destroying them. Kisuke’s eyes were very pretty - especially so during a battle, regardless of how serious.
But perhaps he was already too attached to the man to let go so easily if he could find good explanations for his actions. It was probably not the best idea, but Ichigo was tired of losing people, and if he decided someone is his, he’d do his best to not let go, unless they abandoned him themselves.
And, he did not expect much from him, after all, unlike his friends. The man was a mentor of sorts and had always helped Ichigo; But Ichigo was not presumptuous enough to think the man actually cared. Not any more than any nice person cares about people around them. And he was nice, no matter what he said.
He got attached too easily, Yoruichi-san had confirmed, at the celebration party, lounging around in her true form, clothed, thankfully, and slightly tipsy. And there is nothing he wouldn’t do once he did.
He knew well enough who Kisuke was, told by him after Ichigo returned from his invasion of Seireitei. Not everything, but enough.
And he had, from the beginning, treated Ichigo like a weapon — so it did not hurt as much when he left him, and was so much sweeter when he realized that Kisuke had not really, just went about showing his care in a terrible way. He couldn’t just ignore it.
So he stuck around. Headed to the shoten right after school no matter how many of his former friends tried to approach him. And only went home after some hours, to have dinner with his sisters.
And speaking of which, he should probably find the man. He did come here for the company.
He wondered if Kisuke would be amenable to a spar. Or if he’ll have a chance to lounge around with him, doing some homework while the man does whatever in his lab. Ichigo was curious, and Kisuke shared the details freely, but he did not understand most of what the other man was working on. It was still nice to listen to his voice. Or just be around him.
He headed to the labs first. That’s where he often found Kisuke, if he hadn’t been at the front to greet him.
And there he was, sitting at his desk. Though he didn’t seem to be reading or working on anything at the moment.
“How’s it going, Kisuke,” he greeted, slipping the bag off of his shoulder, and dropping it at an empty table, before approaching the man. “What you’re working on?” he asked, leaning over him. But the man was just slouched over his desk, head on his arms.
Kisuke grumbled in response, before lifting his head vaguely in Ichigo’s directions, eyes closed.
“Resting” he answered, tiredly, “Isn’t it something you always tell me to do?” he added more teasingly. “It’s just a migraine really. It’ll pass eventually.”
Ichigo hummed thoughtfully. It wasn’t something to dismiss so easily, but he guessed Kisuke had worse things happen to him. And he did have an amazing propensity to ignore his own limits.
“Can’t you take something for those?” he questioned.
“I did,” Kisuke said, wincing, and returning his head to his arms. “I might’ve gotten a bit carried away with an experiment and hadn’t noticed it until I already started feeling nauseous and lightheaded.”
“Of course you did,” Ichigo snorted, reaching out to stroke his hair. “Light sensitive.”
Kisuke shifted into the touch. “That’s nice,” he muttered. “Yeah, light hurts.”
“It was an important one,” he defended himself, “Yoruichi-san asked me for something.”
“And I’m sure she’d rather have you feeling well,” Ichigo pointed out. Kisuke just shrugged noncommittally at that. “Can’t be too comfortable here. Why don’t we move you to a bed?”
“My, my, how forward of you,” he said, like usual. Ichigo just tugged lightly at his hair for that. It was not funny the first time, it is not funny now. But he wouldn’t want to put him in more pain. “Can’t” Kisuke finally answered honestly, “too dizzy.”
“For just how long have you been ignoring your migraine?” Ichigo asked rhetorically. He would expect Kisuke to be able to deal with one that had recently started, if not be too comfortable. If he’s struggling it must be really bad.
Kisuke refused to answer.
Ichigo just sighed, and picked him up. He didn’t struggle, leaning into Ichigo, and hiding his face in his chest, instead of his own arms.
It was not a long walk upstairs, even without using shunpo. Wouldn’t do to rattle Kisuke too much in that state.
Kisuke’s bedroom had thick blackout curtains, and traditional doors of the shoten barely had any gaps to let the light from the corridors shine. Ichigo moved more by memory after he shut the door than by sight. Ichigo hadn’t been here too many times before, but thankfully Kisuke was not the type to clutter the room — only his lab — or change it overly much.
He gently deposited Kisuke on his futon. He felt a hand tugging at his sleeve as the other man muttered, “Stay?”
“Of course I will,” he responded easily, lying down next to him. It was permission enough. “Nowhere else I’d rather be,” he added honestly.
“You’re too good for me, you know?” Kisuke said, cuddling closer to Ichigo, head pressed into his chest. Ichigo hugged him in response, hand in his wild blond hair.
“I disagree,” Ichigo said firmly, running his fingers through Kisuke’s hair again and again, “But it doesn’t matter anyway. Because I’m not leaving, no matter what you say.” Nothing could make him leave people he cared about, other than betrayal. Kisuke should know that. And Kisuke himself was not the type to betray. Not if he actually cared. But it wouldn’t be betrayal that way.
“Get some sleep, will you,” he added, when he could feel Kisuke was about to say something else. “Everything can wait until you are a bit better.”