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A Shadow of What Was	By : katami Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 49594 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Author's Notes: The Quincy would like to apologize for the slight delay in posting, but this chapter was rather hard to write. Drat those Quincy and their inability to communicate! The good news is that I was a productive last week so chapters should be coming regularly again.

Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who has shown an interest in this story. Especially zincpiccalilli, who has already threatened to hunt me down if I even think of abandoning Shadow. *grin*

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Ryuuken followed the girl through the Shinigami base, wondering what he was doing - walking through a Shinigami stronghold, thinking of talking to his son and his son�s Shinigami lover, following some wisp of a girl. It was foolishness, which of course explained why Isshin and Kisuke were right at the center of it. His father had been right. He really did have terrible taste in friends. The thought dragged a tiny smile to his lips. At least he was sure of one thing.

Well, two things. First, that his friends were without a doubt reprobates of the worst sort. And second, that a man could do a lot worse than have friends like Kurosaki Isshin and Urahara Kisuke.

Which explained why he was undertaking this insanity.

"I didn't know you and Kurosaki-san were acquainted," murmured the girl, Kuchiki Rukia. He seemed to remember the name Kuchiki from somewhere, but he couldn�t place it and didn't have the patience to try and drag it up when an interview with his son was looming. Long association with Uryuu had taught him that those never went as planned, or expected, or hoped for.

"Ishida-san?" prodded the girl.

"Medical conferences," he answered, smirking as the girl frowned. She was rather pretty when she did that; it made her nose wrinkle up like a rabbit's. And the glint in her dark eyes said she didn�t believe him for a second. Perhaps Uryuu had a point staying amongst all these Shinigami - one could bait them to the end of eternity and have them be none the wiser.

She opened the door to a large, bustling room filled with rushing Shinigami. At its center stood Uryuu, glancing around and looking utterly comfortable and in control. "We're in the middle of an incident," explained Kuchiki. "He might not be able to talk."

Ryuuken nodded his understanding, taking a moment to study his son. He looked bruised and tired but also strangely alert. There were reports in his right hand and he was talking angrily to a large Shinigami who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else. He was dressed in Quincy white and looked strong and determined, a man others respected. Pride welled up inside him and quickly on its heels came regret. This amazing man was his son...and Ryuuken�d had nearly no hand in shaping him. If anything, his absence had been more influential than his presence in Uryuu�s life.

His son noticed him, pausing and looking honestly baffled for a moment before handing his report to an underling and joining him. �Ryuuken,� he murmured, voice perfectly neutral.

�Uryuu,� he replied with a slight nod. So far just another typical Ishida interaction. Someday they were going to learn to talk to each other, thought Ryuuken, and when that happened the world would end.

They were saved the embarrassment of trying to find more words when a strong hand closed on Ryuuken�s shoulder, giving it a familial squeeze. �Hiya, Dad.�

Dad? Dad? Ryuuken was still trying to wrap his mind around the other man�s casual familiarity with his person; which was the only reason he could fathom for not summoning his bow and shooting his son�s Shinigami lover. By the time he had recovered his wits, Abarai was standing next to Uryuu, arm thrown casually around his waist, grinning like an idiot.

Ryuuken was beginning to think that grin was something all Shinigami learned. His only consolation was that Uryuu seemed as shocked by his lover�s antics as he did, his blue eyes going wide before narrowing to glare at the other man.

�Abarai, what the fuck do you...� began his son hotly before the Shinigami kissed him hard and fast. Ryuuken had a horrible memory of Isshin telling him that they were flexible and an even more terrifying idea that he might just find out how flexible.

�Keep an eye on things here, Rukia. Uryuu and I are gonna go talk to his pop,� announced the redhead, releasing his son�s lips and handing his reports off to Kuchiki. He then began dragging Uryuu toward the door, snagging Ryuuken�s arm as he passed. He and Uryuu were dragged down the hall, both staring at Abarai�s back, too shocked to protest his obvious lapse into insanity.

�Get your hands off me!� snarled Uryuu, bringing them to halt and ripping himself free of the other man�s grasp, apparently overcoming his shock much faster than Ryuuken. Probably years of experience, thought Ryuuken. �I don�t need you leading me about like some naughty child. I am perfectly capable of walking, and I am perfectly capable of talking to my own fucking father!�

�Coulda fooled me,� retorted Abarai.

Uryuu�s eyes narrowed and Ryuuken honestly thought his son was going to materialize a bow and start shooting. Either that or punch the Shinigami. Showing remarkable restraint, he did neither. He squared his shoulders, shot the other man a withering glare and turned to Ryuuken. �If you could come with me,� he murmured with icy politeness before storming down the hall, Shinigami scattering to get out of his way.

�He�s damned good at that,� murmured a deep, warm voice in his ear. �Scares the piss outta all of �em. Better hurry. I�ll bring ya guys some tea once he calms down a little. If he sees me too soon, he�ll start shooting.�

Ryuuken stared at Abarai�s grinning face for a moment, honestly baffled before starting after his son. Clearly it wasn�t just Kisuke and Isshin who were insane. All Shinigami were.

Uryuu led him into a smaller corridor and then into a comfortable sitting room done in tans and greens. He thought he recognized Uryuu�s hand in the layout and feel of the room and the small sewing nook confirmed it. Although the huge plasma screen TV screamed Abarai. He had to smile faintly at the sewing machine and the bits of fabric; it seemed his son was never going to outgrow his sewing.

Uryuu paused in the middle of the room, taking a second to master himself before turning to regard him solemnly. �You�ll have to forgive Renji,� muttered the younger man.

Ryuuken nodded, although he couldn�t help but wonder what drew his quiet and reserved son to someone like the loutish man he had encountered.

�He means...He means well," mumbled Uryuu, as if a little embarrassed. �Why are you here, Ryuuken?�

�I heard you were injured.� It was hardly believable since Uryuu had presumably been injured countless times in the last twenty years, and he had never once come to check on the boy. Yet another shining example of his failure as a father. He did wonder about his son, the life he had chosen, although Ryuuken knew the boy would never believe that. There was too much history between them, too many misunderstandings and too many years of silence.

�You�ve never come to check up on me before.� The tone was huffy; Uryuu getting annoyed.

�Like that�s a shock with the way you two get along,� muttered Abarai, a tray of tea in his hands. The redhead set the tray on the coffee table and steered his son to the couch, giving him a tiny shove to get him to sit. A second later, Abarai was pouring tea for him and then motioning Ryuuken to a chair before offering him a cup.

�Try and play nice for once, Uryuu,� ordered the captain, kissing his son on the cheek. �And Rukia wants to know which emergency patrol route you were planning to use for the 10th since you were the one to set up the routes for the other squads?�

Ryuuken had to smile faintly as the domestic behavior seemed to defuse Uryuu and the business talk snapped him into a calm, rational place. It was rather amusing to see Abarai Renji and how skillfully he managed Uryuu.

�The patrol routes? Oh, I was using the Plan C routes. It�s all in the folders.�

�I�ll tell her. Thanks, love,� smiled Renji, giving his son another kiss on the cheek and making a hasty retreat.

Ryuuken had to smirk as Uryuu noticed his scrutiny and blushed faintly, fumbling with his glasses. �He makes excellent tea,� he murmured, chuckling as Uryuu�s blush deepened. �Hundreds of years of practice I expect.�

His son seemed to stumble for a moment, looking for a place to start, something to say. He hated to admit it, but it was easier with Uryuu off-balance, more like their other interactions. Isshin was right. He was a terrible father. �You seem...good together,� he offered.

�We�re...It�s complicated, but it works for us,� Uryuu offered with a sigh.

�I can imagine. You�re...happy with Abarai then?�

�I would think twenty years could be construed as happy,� retorted Uryuu.

�I�m glad,� whispered Ryuuken, looking away and taking a sip of his tea. He really was glad. Uryuu deserved to be happy, deserved more joy in his relationship than he had found with the boy�s mother.

Blue eyes widened, staring at him like they had never seen him before. �You mean that?� asked Uryuu, his voice soft and guarded. Hopeful, thought Ryuuken with a small hint of wonder. His son wanted his approval; Uryuu want him to be proud of him. �I thought...I thought you didn�t approve...a Shinigami...a man...�

"I'm beginning to think there might be worse things," he murmured with smirk.

Uryuu blinked at him for a moment before staring at his tea. "Why are you really here?" the boy asked softly, a hint of resignation slipping into his voice. "It wasn't to see me. So why are you really here, Ryuuken?"

He didn't show it except for a slight widening of his eyes, but the question startled him. He hadn't expected it. He should have known it'd be too much to hope that the boy would believe he was actually concerned - even if he was.

He wondered how much of the truth to tell. There were things Uryuu wasn't ready to hear and a few more that he wasn't ready to talk about.

"I felt a burst of reiatsu earlier..."

Uryuu snorted and rolled his eyes. "Of course. Urahara comes back and you come poking around. There's your answer, Ryuuken. You felt Urahara. And he's gone now, taken by Aizen. Anything else you want to know? Because if not, I have things to do," snapped Uryuu, on his feet and heading for the door. "You can find your own way out," announced his son, stalking past his returning lover, who stood there blinking at them, a tray of cookies in his hands.

"I don't know what you did, Dad, but you just fucked up big," snarled the Shinigami, giving him a dark glare and turning away in disgust.
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- 19
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A Shadow of What Was