UraIshi AU Ch.11
Title: Unravelling Threads of Fate
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: UraIshi
Summary: AU. Ishida has had a hard life. With the help of some friends, it finally looks like things are going to work out. When he meets a bizarre and cheerful man named Urahara Kisuke, the two are inexplicably drawn to each other. But when Ishida discovers the truth about Urahara's past and its ties to his own, difficulties arise.
Notes: I keep on forgetting to thank kirstian for her quick beta-read every time. XD You rock.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the genius KT. ♥
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10
Ishida cracked open his eyes slowly. Shifting a little, he winced at how sore he felt but found it wasn’t so bad that he couldn’t ignore it. Other than that, he was utterly blissful. His eyes drifted shut again, remembering fingers sliding over his skin and the many moments of pure pleasure, and a faint flush rose to his cheeks as he smiled. Sighing, Ishida propped himself up and groped for his glasses on the bed-side table. He had taken them off the second time around. Rubbing his eyes to clear his vision, he put them on and blinked in surprise at seeing Urahara half-reclined on a chair he had pulled close to the bed. He was sketching something very intently.
“Kisuke…”
Warm, grey eyes lifted to his face and a smile stretched across the man’s face. “Good morning, Uryuu. How do you feel? Sore?”
“Yes. All thanks to you.” Ishida glared as Urahara chuckled quietly. Annoyance faded away as his curiosity perked up instead. “What are you doing?”
“Drawing.”
“But you told me that you only draw things worth your attention.”
“Exactly. Which is why I’m drawing you.” He grinned and the pencil started scratching lightly across the paper again.
“Oh.”
Gathering the blankets around him, he dragged them and himself onto the floor and padded over to Urahara’s side. Peering down at the sketch, he smiled in appreciation - Urahara was really quite good at drawing. It was an image of him sleeping, surrounded by the fluffy pillows and comforter, and Ishida guessed that he must have started only a few hours earlier. Standing there, he noticed two things: one, Urahara was drawing in his sketchbook and more importantly, two, he was fully dressed.
“…are you going somewhere?” he asked, trying to make it sound casual.
Setting down the book and pencil, Urahara reached out to wrap an arm around his waist, pulling him closer. He smiled up at him. “Oh, now don’t worry, Uryuu~ I’m not going to just get up and leave after last night. I only have a few errands - I’ll be back in the afternoon.”
The unoccupied hand reached up to tug at the blanket Ishida held up to his chest, coaxing it down until his stomach was bared. Leaning forward, he pressed a few soft kisses to the pale skin, causing the boy to inhale a shaky breath.
“We can have some more fun then.”
Ishida couldn’t help but smile at the promise. Feeling bold, he lifted his hands to tilt Urahara’s head up and bent down to press a slow kiss to his lips.
“I’ll be here,” he whispered before gathering up the blankets again and heading to the bathroom.
Grinning impishly, Urahara scribbled a final note on the drawing before shutting the sketchbook. Setting it down on a table, he sauntered after the boy. The sound of water from the shower was soon followed by an indignant yelp.
~~~
Ishida sat on the bed in a fluffy bathrobe, combing his hair. After that little visit in the shower, Urahara had set off to do his errands with a final kiss, letting his fingertips linger for a moment on a wet cheek. He smiled at the memory as he tucked his bare feet underneath him and let his gaze drift around the room thoughtfully. It was amazing how much could happen in seven months - amazing how his life could feel so complete just because of one person.
Sliding off the bed to change into his clothes, he stopped as the phone rang, blinking at it curiously.
Who could be calling? Oh, maybe it’s Kuchiki-san… she probably wants details. Ishida shook his head a little but lifted the receiver to his ear.
“Hello?”
“Good morning. We have a call on hold for an Ishida Uryuu - shall we put them through?”
“Yes, I’ll take it.” Ishida started walking towards the closet with the phone in hand, considering what he would wear that day. However, the voice which drifted through the phone made him freeze in his tracks, the blood draining from his face.
“Uryuu.”
“…Ryuuken.”
~~~
Standing in the hospital lobby, Ishida waited for the elevator to arrive, watching patients roll by in beds down one of the hallways. He wasn’t sure why he had agreed to come and doubted his decision even as he stepped onto the elevator. His father had stated that he should come and meet with him at his office to discuss important matters. Giving only his office location, Ryuuken had abruptly hung up.
Ishida ran a thumb absently over the hem of his shirt as he travelled upward, a frown touching his forehead. It was strange. Three years of absence and suddenly he was back, demanding a meeting. Why now? Why at all?
He looked up as the elevator chimed and the doors opened, revealing a mahogany receptionist desk among painted walls of muted-green and dark-grey carpeting. It was all rather drab and depressing. Walking towards the girl seated at the desk, he cleared his throat quietly.
“Excuse me.”
The girl paused in her typing to look up at him. “Yes?”
“Could you point me in the direction of Room 821?”
“Oh, you must be the director’s son!” She smiled at him and pointed down the hall on her left. “He’ll be on the left side of that hall.”
“Thank you,” Ishida replied softly, turning to follow her directions. His steps slowed as the numbers increased and brought him closer to something he began to instinctually dread. He finally stopped before the glass door and wall of his father’s office, staring in at the man absorbed in his paperwork.
Unconsciously, Ishida’s back straightened and he raised his head - Ryuuken may have left him at seventeen, but he had been the one to raise him. He pushed open the glass door without even knocking, his heart pounding; Ryuuken had appeared to not notice his presence outside the office, but Ishida knew better. Just as he thought, a smooth voice drifted over to him as he stepped inside.
“Where are your manners, Uryuu?” The pale-haired man glanced up at him, eyes cool and emotionless. “I thought I had taught you better.”
“I didn’t think you deserved the courtesy, Ryuuken.”
“And to call your own father by his first name… perhaps I shouldn’t have left you. You might have learned how to properly respect your elders.”
Ishida’s eyes narrowed and his fists clenched at his sides. “Enough. I know you didn’t ask me here for this. What is it you want?”
Ryuuken pushed back from his desk and moved to stand in front of his window, hands clasped behind his back. “Very well, I’ll get straight to the point. I have heard some news about you and I do not approve at all. I demand you stop seeing this Urahara Kisuke.”
“I…” Ishida stared blankly. … what? “What? What makes you think you can order me to do something like that?”
“Because it is the sensible thing to do, Uryuu.”
“But you left me. You left without leaving me any place to live or any way to survive-”
“And yet here you are,” Ryuuken observed quietly, staring calmly at his son.
“That isn’t the point!” Ishida glared back at him, nails digging into his palms. “Why should I carry out your wishes when I haven’t seen you in three years? Why should I give up someone that makes me happy for you? You don’t even know him!”
A pale eyebrow rose at that, and the hospital director began to step slowly towards him. “Don’t I? Uryuu, that man used to be the president of SOUL.”
“Yes, he told me that,” Ishida frowned warily. “What does that have to do with anything?”
Slight surprise crossed Ryuuken’s features as he stopped in his tracks, soon replaced by a faint smirk. “You’re a fool, Uryuu.”
The young designer frowned more, anxiety creeping up his back with cold fingers. “Why?”
“You know of MOD, know of Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Before Mayuri took charge of the company, MOD was formerly known as SOUL.”
~~~
Twenty years ago, a brilliant young man graduated from the university. Having enrolled two years early from high school, in only four years, he completed his Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science and Doctor of Medicine - it was rumoured that he could have finished sooner but chose not to and was known to be quite prominent among the campus parties.
Directly after graduation he set to work at creating his own medical research company. It was to be a laboratory where cures for all types of diseases would be created. In only a year his company grew remarkably, receiving multi-million dollar research grants from several other drug companies. His efficient methodology and pure talent produced test vaccines and other drugs within months. All around the city, people spoke of him and his miracle research.
The company was known as SOUL or ‘Specialization in Organic Unknowns Laboratory’.
The man was Urahara Kisuke.
~~~
“… you’re lying,” Ishida said softly, his eyes wide and panicked. “He told me MOD wasn’t his company. He told me.”
Ryuuken stared at him dispassionately. “And you believed him?”
“He had no reason to lie to me.”
“Well, I don’t know about that. You moved in with him, didn’t you?”
“That… Kisuke wouldn’t lie to me!” Glaring, Ishida started to wonder if his palms would start bleeding if he clenched his fists any harder.
“Kisuke?” Ryuuken raised an eyebrow as he studied his son. “It seems you’re more attached to him than I thought. I suppose I could say ‘like father, like son’ just this once; Urahara Kisuke is far too good at manipulating people to get his own way.”
“What do you mean?”
“I once trusted him too - a mistake on my part that I don’t plan on repeating. He betrayed all of us, Uryuu, after the merger of our companies, but you were too young to remember any of that.”
~~~
On the outskirts of the city, there was a family-run research facility. Before the creation of SOUL, it was the only company which handled the creation of drugs to be tested. All of the workers were related - either biologically or through marriage - and they formed their own community near the research building, with a population the size of a small town. Children who grew up and obtained medical degrees tended to return with their families and join the others in their research. The head position of the company was appointed through choice of the former head.
Twenty years ago, Ishida Ryuuken was chosen as the head of the Quincy Corporation.
That very same year, SOUL came into existence and gained country-wide recognition, as well as the attention of the newly appointed head. Ryuuken watched the progress of SOUL for the following year, observed the man behind it all, before making a drastic decision.
A year after SOUL opened its doors, it merged with Quincy Co. and altered its name to MOD-SOUL.
Ryuuken had deduced that to attempt to keep Quincy Co. as a separate, competitive business would be foolish, while a merger would create benefits for everyone. Urahara had been more than willing to accept the offer, commenting that the more brains working to create cures, the better. In the end, Ryuuken had agreed to let Urahara become the company president, as SOUL had been the larger component and more of his funds were being used.
Their first disagreement occurred two years after the merger.
Without conferring with Ryuuken, Urahara appointed a newly hired graduate to become the vice-president. He patiently explained his reasons, stating they were perfectly suited to the role - a degree in medicine and business - and it was left at that. Ryuuken never trusted the vice-president and began to hold a grudge against the cheerful president, feeling the position was rightfully his.
The vice-president was Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
Things ran smoothly for the following two years, Urahara gaining a name in the medicine and business world. Soon after bringing Mayuri to the company, he also hired Shihouin Yoruichi, a friend from childhood and recent graduate. She became his financial planner and advisor, setting to work at organizing everything he had obtained up to that point.
Then one day, a patient with a strange new virus arrived at the hospital. With the doctors at a loss, they called for help from MOD-SOUL; Urahara accepted and set his scientists to work, eager for a new challenge. As the days passed several other people were diagnosed with the same virus and quarantined in a section of the hospital. By the end of the first week ten people had the virus. By the end of the second week, 102 people were being housed in a wing of the hospital that was closed-off to the public.
It was chaos layered with fear. Every day, a few more people were put into quarantine and every hour, their symptoms got worse. When news of the death of one of the patients arrived at MOD-SOUL, a tense silence fell over the staff; that day, Urahara began to work non-stop, barely pausing for meals or sleep… and still the death count rose.
Eventually, another argument broke out between Urahara and Ryuuken. Their views on how to handle the situation were too different, too far on opposite sides of the spectrum. Continue using up resources to try and save them or stop and simply contain the situation, accepting that death was the only solution for those infected.
Save the dead or save the living.
In the end, despite MOD-SOUL’s efforts, 318 people died from the virus which had mysteriously vanished on its own two months after its first appearance. One week later, Urahara Kisuke disappeared without a trace. Kurotsuchi Mayuri immediately took over the position of president, renaming the company to MOD. His first order of business: fire all former Quincy Corporation workers.
~~~
“Surely Urahara must have known what kind of person he was. He left us at the mercy of that man.” Ryuuken’s eyes narrowed at the memory. “As it turned out, Mayuri had no mercy.”
~~~
The Quincy workers went back to their community on the edge of the city, unsure of what to do. Approximately 2900 people lived in their little town and the majority had spent their lives devoted to searching for cures. Quincy Co. was gone - given up when the merger had occurred - and it was as if their purpose in life had been ripped away. A few hundred people left the city, or even the country, searching for other careers with their talents.
They were the lucky ones.
One week after being removed from MOD, the first signs appeared among the community. Those long two months surrounded by the dying had ingrained the tell-tale symptoms into Ryuuken’s mind. Only this time, the onset of each following stage seemed to come twice as fast - the virus had returned, quicker to spread and deadlier. Those who had seen the results of the first virus resigned themselves to their fate. It wasn’t until Ryuuken’s wife passed away that he grew determined to find a cure for him and his son, Uryuu, no matter what.
Feeling that he was running out of time, he turned to his last resort: go ask for aid from MOD. Like a miracle, Mayuri did in fact have a cure; however he was only willing to offer it for a costly price. Ryuuken felt his suspicions were confirmed - that the MOD president had been the one to release the virus in the first place - but paid the money anyway, selling possessions as necessary to reach the high price that had been set.
In the end, 2661 people died in that town. Other than those who had left before the virus struck, the only remaining survivors were Ryuuken and little Uryuu.
~~~
Ishida felt as if his world had come crashing down to bury him, to suffocate him. He was going to be sick. Staggering into the bathroom attached to his father’s office, he bent over the toilet. Ryuuken watched him from the doorway impassively, gaze cool and blank.
“You were always weak, Uryuu.”
Wiping his mouth, Ishida gripped the white porcelain before him, eyes shut tightly as if he was trying to force away a bout of vertigo. In a way, he supposed he was.
I had been flying so high on a dream - a dream built on a lie. And now I have to fall and face reality.
“Weak and foolish. I was right to have left you - you were a waste of time, money and effort,” Ryuuken continued, watching as his son shakily got to his feet.
“Stop. Just stop. I don’t need to hear anymore. I’m leaving.”
Without another word, Ishida left the office and the hospital, slowly making his way back to the hotel. By the time he arrived, he felt eerily calm and went about the suite, packing some things into a duffel bag. Zipping it closed, he set it down on a couch and sat down beside it.
It was strange to think that a man he had been conditioned to hate for as long as he could remember was the very one he had fallen in love with. So many times he had heard the story of a man who had disappeared, leaving them all vulnerable and as good as dead. He grew to hate that man who had made his life so difficult but now…
Ishida glanced up when the door clicked open and stared at the grinning blond as his heart twisted sharply, emotions churning in his stomach.
“Uryuu~ How was…” Urahara trailed off as he took in the pained expression and packed bag. “What’s wrong?”
“… I went to see my father.”
The older man’s face changed, lips pressing together as his eyes darkened. “… I see. What did he say?”
“He told me all about you,” Ishida said softly, shifting his gaze to stare down at the carpeted floor. “You lied to me.”
“I didn’t know, Uryuu. Believe me. When I first met you, I didn’t know who you were.”
The young designer squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head. “I asked you on our very first date if MOD was your company. You told me ‘no’.”
“It’s not my company. The only ones I’ve associated with were SOUL and MOD-SOUL.”
“They’re the same thing!”
“Okay, you’re right. I was riding on a technicality but you have to believe that it wasn’t just to trick you. I have never thought of MOD as my company,” Urahara replied quietly, in an attempt to placate the boy. “When I did find out about what happened to your family, I meant to tell you but-”
“Wait,” Ishida turned to stare at him cautiously. “How long have you known?”
There was no reply as Urahara lowered his gaze to the ground, hat shielding his eyes and expression.
“How long?”
“… four months.”
“You knew for that long and you didn’t tell me?” Ishida got to his feet, staring at the man incredulously. “I can’t believe I had to hear all of this from my father, the man I haven’t seen in over three years, instead of you, the person I trusted completely. He was right - you do manipulate people.”
“Uryuu, I-”
“Don’t call me that,” he stated calmly, reaching over to pick up the bag’s straps. “When I first met you, I was amazed to have found someone who would help a perfect stranger so freely, so selflessly. But now I know the truth - you’re selfish. When you left your company you were selfish, not even thinking about the kind of consequences your absence would cause. Then you didn’t tell me about this for who knows what reason - if you wanted to get me in bed, congratulations, it worked.”
Ishida hefted the bag onto his shoulder and took a few steps forward, feeling oddly void of emotion as he stared at the man’s face blanketed in shadows. He knew he should be feeling something - hurt, anger, sadness - yet there was nothing. The only sign that this affected him at all was the ache in his chest.
“If anything I said wasn’t accurate, tell me.” There was only silence as Ishida exhaled slowly, moving to brush past Urahara as he opened the door. “I thought so.”
There was no attempt to stop him as he exited the suite or as he waited for the elevator. With a final glance at the man still frozen by the doorway, he closed his eyes and stepped forward as the chimes rang.
“I’ll get the rest of my things later. Goodbye, Urahara-san.”
~~~
Ishida wandered the lamp-lit streets aimlessly, the sun having set hours ago. It was getting late and he needed to find somewhere to go. He couldn’t go back to the Kurosaki residence - that would probably be the first place Urahara would look for him and he didn’t want to talk to him at the moment. Going to Ichigo and Rukia’s apartment would probably be the same, not to mention being rather intrusive. His father - not even an option. In the end, Ishida could only think of one place to go.
He knocked on the door of the small apartment and waited. He had only been here a few times, when everyone had been invited over for dinner - no one ever ate much - or for some other occasion but never for a social call. Granted, Ishida was never a very social person to begin with. The door opened to reveal Orihime blinking at him curiously.
“Ishida-kun? What are you doing here so late?”
“I…” He simply shook his head, clenching the duffel bag straps. She glanced from the bag to his face before reaching out to pat him on the arm gently.
“Never mind, come on in. It’s late.”
Ishida felt he was fortunate that Orihime didn’t ask any questions and simply led him over to her couch. Sitting him down, she returned with pillows and a blanket, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“I don’t know what happened and you don’t have to tell me.” She tilted her head, a concerned expression on her face. “But if you want to talk, just let me know, okay? You’re welcome to stay here.”
He nodded slightly, murmuring a quiet thank you as she padded back to her room. His body felt tense and unsteady, yet still lacking the things he thought he should be feeling. Either way, there was no way he was going to get any sleep. Rummaging in his bag, he pulled out his sketchbook and a pencil - usually sketching things managed to calm him down enough to sleep. Ishida flipped through the pages, perusing some of his old sketches, before freezing as his eyes rested upon the most recent drawing. The one done by Urahara.
Suddenly, it was as if whatever wall had been holding back his emotions crumbled to dust. Tears welled up and flowed over as silent sobs shook his body, the book dropping to the floor as he curled in on himself. Ishida clutched his arms tightly; the pain in his chest was so strong that he feared it would rip right open. It was nearly dawn when he finally collapsed to sleep from exhaustion.
What had broken his detached demeanour was not only the drawing itself but the hastily written message that accompanied it. In Urahara’s familiar scrawl were the simple words, ‘I love you’.
A/N: Um. Don't kill me? *runs* XD
To Chapter 12
X-posted places
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: UraIshi
Summary: AU. Ishida has had a hard life. With the help of some friends, it finally looks like things are going to work out. When he meets a bizarre and cheerful man named Urahara Kisuke, the two are inexplicably drawn to each other. But when Ishida discovers the truth about Urahara's past and its ties to his own, difficulties arise.
Notes: I keep on forgetting to thank kirstian for her quick beta-read every time. XD You rock.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the genius KT. ♥
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10
Ishida cracked open his eyes slowly. Shifting a little, he winced at how sore he felt but found it wasn’t so bad that he couldn’t ignore it. Other than that, he was utterly blissful. His eyes drifted shut again, remembering fingers sliding over his skin and the many moments of pure pleasure, and a faint flush rose to his cheeks as he smiled. Sighing, Ishida propped himself up and groped for his glasses on the bed-side table. He had taken them off the second time around. Rubbing his eyes to clear his vision, he put them on and blinked in surprise at seeing Urahara half-reclined on a chair he had pulled close to the bed. He was sketching something very intently.
“Kisuke…”
Warm, grey eyes lifted to his face and a smile stretched across the man’s face. “Good morning, Uryuu. How do you feel? Sore?”
“Yes. All thanks to you.” Ishida glared as Urahara chuckled quietly. Annoyance faded away as his curiosity perked up instead. “What are you doing?”
“Drawing.”
“But you told me that you only draw things worth your attention.”
“Exactly. Which is why I’m drawing you.” He grinned and the pencil started scratching lightly across the paper again.
“Oh.”
Gathering the blankets around him, he dragged them and himself onto the floor and padded over to Urahara’s side. Peering down at the sketch, he smiled in appreciation - Urahara was really quite good at drawing. It was an image of him sleeping, surrounded by the fluffy pillows and comforter, and Ishida guessed that he must have started only a few hours earlier. Standing there, he noticed two things: one, Urahara was drawing in his sketchbook and more importantly, two, he was fully dressed.
“…are you going somewhere?” he asked, trying to make it sound casual.
Setting down the book and pencil, Urahara reached out to wrap an arm around his waist, pulling him closer. He smiled up at him. “Oh, now don’t worry, Uryuu~ I’m not going to just get up and leave after last night. I only have a few errands - I’ll be back in the afternoon.”
The unoccupied hand reached up to tug at the blanket Ishida held up to his chest, coaxing it down until his stomach was bared. Leaning forward, he pressed a few soft kisses to the pale skin, causing the boy to inhale a shaky breath.
“We can have some more fun then.”
Ishida couldn’t help but smile at the promise. Feeling bold, he lifted his hands to tilt Urahara’s head up and bent down to press a slow kiss to his lips.
“I’ll be here,” he whispered before gathering up the blankets again and heading to the bathroom.
Grinning impishly, Urahara scribbled a final note on the drawing before shutting the sketchbook. Setting it down on a table, he sauntered after the boy. The sound of water from the shower was soon followed by an indignant yelp.
~~~
Ishida sat on the bed in a fluffy bathrobe, combing his hair. After that little visit in the shower, Urahara had set off to do his errands with a final kiss, letting his fingertips linger for a moment on a wet cheek. He smiled at the memory as he tucked his bare feet underneath him and let his gaze drift around the room thoughtfully. It was amazing how much could happen in seven months - amazing how his life could feel so complete just because of one person.
Sliding off the bed to change into his clothes, he stopped as the phone rang, blinking at it curiously.
Who could be calling? Oh, maybe it’s Kuchiki-san… she probably wants details. Ishida shook his head a little but lifted the receiver to his ear.
“Hello?”
“Good morning. We have a call on hold for an Ishida Uryuu - shall we put them through?”
“Yes, I’ll take it.” Ishida started walking towards the closet with the phone in hand, considering what he would wear that day. However, the voice which drifted through the phone made him freeze in his tracks, the blood draining from his face.
“Uryuu.”
“…Ryuuken.”
~~~
Standing in the hospital lobby, Ishida waited for the elevator to arrive, watching patients roll by in beds down one of the hallways. He wasn’t sure why he had agreed to come and doubted his decision even as he stepped onto the elevator. His father had stated that he should come and meet with him at his office to discuss important matters. Giving only his office location, Ryuuken had abruptly hung up.
Ishida ran a thumb absently over the hem of his shirt as he travelled upward, a frown touching his forehead. It was strange. Three years of absence and suddenly he was back, demanding a meeting. Why now? Why at all?
He looked up as the elevator chimed and the doors opened, revealing a mahogany receptionist desk among painted walls of muted-green and dark-grey carpeting. It was all rather drab and depressing. Walking towards the girl seated at the desk, he cleared his throat quietly.
“Excuse me.”
The girl paused in her typing to look up at him. “Yes?”
“Could you point me in the direction of Room 821?”
“Oh, you must be the director’s son!” She smiled at him and pointed down the hall on her left. “He’ll be on the left side of that hall.”
“Thank you,” Ishida replied softly, turning to follow her directions. His steps slowed as the numbers increased and brought him closer to something he began to instinctually dread. He finally stopped before the glass door and wall of his father’s office, staring in at the man absorbed in his paperwork.
Unconsciously, Ishida’s back straightened and he raised his head - Ryuuken may have left him at seventeen, but he had been the one to raise him. He pushed open the glass door without even knocking, his heart pounding; Ryuuken had appeared to not notice his presence outside the office, but Ishida knew better. Just as he thought, a smooth voice drifted over to him as he stepped inside.
“Where are your manners, Uryuu?” The pale-haired man glanced up at him, eyes cool and emotionless. “I thought I had taught you better.”
“I didn’t think you deserved the courtesy, Ryuuken.”
“And to call your own father by his first name… perhaps I shouldn’t have left you. You might have learned how to properly respect your elders.”
Ishida’s eyes narrowed and his fists clenched at his sides. “Enough. I know you didn’t ask me here for this. What is it you want?”
Ryuuken pushed back from his desk and moved to stand in front of his window, hands clasped behind his back. “Very well, I’ll get straight to the point. I have heard some news about you and I do not approve at all. I demand you stop seeing this Urahara Kisuke.”
“I…” Ishida stared blankly. … what? “What? What makes you think you can order me to do something like that?”
“Because it is the sensible thing to do, Uryuu.”
“But you left me. You left without leaving me any place to live or any way to survive-”
“And yet here you are,” Ryuuken observed quietly, staring calmly at his son.
“That isn’t the point!” Ishida glared back at him, nails digging into his palms. “Why should I carry out your wishes when I haven’t seen you in three years? Why should I give up someone that makes me happy for you? You don’t even know him!”
A pale eyebrow rose at that, and the hospital director began to step slowly towards him. “Don’t I? Uryuu, that man used to be the president of SOUL.”
“Yes, he told me that,” Ishida frowned warily. “What does that have to do with anything?”
Slight surprise crossed Ryuuken’s features as he stopped in his tracks, soon replaced by a faint smirk. “You’re a fool, Uryuu.”
The young designer frowned more, anxiety creeping up his back with cold fingers. “Why?”
“You know of MOD, know of Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Before Mayuri took charge of the company, MOD was formerly known as SOUL.”
~~~
Twenty years ago, a brilliant young man graduated from the university. Having enrolled two years early from high school, in only four years, he completed his Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science and Doctor of Medicine - it was rumoured that he could have finished sooner but chose not to and was known to be quite prominent among the campus parties.
Directly after graduation he set to work at creating his own medical research company. It was to be a laboratory where cures for all types of diseases would be created. In only a year his company grew remarkably, receiving multi-million dollar research grants from several other drug companies. His efficient methodology and pure talent produced test vaccines and other drugs within months. All around the city, people spoke of him and his miracle research.
The company was known as SOUL or ‘Specialization in Organic Unknowns Laboratory’.
The man was Urahara Kisuke.
~~~
“… you’re lying,” Ishida said softly, his eyes wide and panicked. “He told me MOD wasn’t his company. He told me.”
Ryuuken stared at him dispassionately. “And you believed him?”
“He had no reason to lie to me.”
“Well, I don’t know about that. You moved in with him, didn’t you?”
“That… Kisuke wouldn’t lie to me!” Glaring, Ishida started to wonder if his palms would start bleeding if he clenched his fists any harder.
“Kisuke?” Ryuuken raised an eyebrow as he studied his son. “It seems you’re more attached to him than I thought. I suppose I could say ‘like father, like son’ just this once; Urahara Kisuke is far too good at manipulating people to get his own way.”
“What do you mean?”
“I once trusted him too - a mistake on my part that I don’t plan on repeating. He betrayed all of us, Uryuu, after the merger of our companies, but you were too young to remember any of that.”
~~~
On the outskirts of the city, there was a family-run research facility. Before the creation of SOUL, it was the only company which handled the creation of drugs to be tested. All of the workers were related - either biologically or through marriage - and they formed their own community near the research building, with a population the size of a small town. Children who grew up and obtained medical degrees tended to return with their families and join the others in their research. The head position of the company was appointed through choice of the former head.
Twenty years ago, Ishida Ryuuken was chosen as the head of the Quincy Corporation.
That very same year, SOUL came into existence and gained country-wide recognition, as well as the attention of the newly appointed head. Ryuuken watched the progress of SOUL for the following year, observed the man behind it all, before making a drastic decision.
A year after SOUL opened its doors, it merged with Quincy Co. and altered its name to MOD-SOUL.
Ryuuken had deduced that to attempt to keep Quincy Co. as a separate, competitive business would be foolish, while a merger would create benefits for everyone. Urahara had been more than willing to accept the offer, commenting that the more brains working to create cures, the better. In the end, Ryuuken had agreed to let Urahara become the company president, as SOUL had been the larger component and more of his funds were being used.
Their first disagreement occurred two years after the merger.
Without conferring with Ryuuken, Urahara appointed a newly hired graduate to become the vice-president. He patiently explained his reasons, stating they were perfectly suited to the role - a degree in medicine and business - and it was left at that. Ryuuken never trusted the vice-president and began to hold a grudge against the cheerful president, feeling the position was rightfully his.
The vice-president was Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
Things ran smoothly for the following two years, Urahara gaining a name in the medicine and business world. Soon after bringing Mayuri to the company, he also hired Shihouin Yoruichi, a friend from childhood and recent graduate. She became his financial planner and advisor, setting to work at organizing everything he had obtained up to that point.
Then one day, a patient with a strange new virus arrived at the hospital. With the doctors at a loss, they called for help from MOD-SOUL; Urahara accepted and set his scientists to work, eager for a new challenge. As the days passed several other people were diagnosed with the same virus and quarantined in a section of the hospital. By the end of the first week ten people had the virus. By the end of the second week, 102 people were being housed in a wing of the hospital that was closed-off to the public.
It was chaos layered with fear. Every day, a few more people were put into quarantine and every hour, their symptoms got worse. When news of the death of one of the patients arrived at MOD-SOUL, a tense silence fell over the staff; that day, Urahara began to work non-stop, barely pausing for meals or sleep… and still the death count rose.
Eventually, another argument broke out between Urahara and Ryuuken. Their views on how to handle the situation were too different, too far on opposite sides of the spectrum. Continue using up resources to try and save them or stop and simply contain the situation, accepting that death was the only solution for those infected.
Save the dead or save the living.
In the end, despite MOD-SOUL’s efforts, 318 people died from the virus which had mysteriously vanished on its own two months after its first appearance. One week later, Urahara Kisuke disappeared without a trace. Kurotsuchi Mayuri immediately took over the position of president, renaming the company to MOD. His first order of business: fire all former Quincy Corporation workers.
~~~
“Surely Urahara must have known what kind of person he was. He left us at the mercy of that man.” Ryuuken’s eyes narrowed at the memory. “As it turned out, Mayuri had no mercy.”
~~~
The Quincy workers went back to their community on the edge of the city, unsure of what to do. Approximately 2900 people lived in their little town and the majority had spent their lives devoted to searching for cures. Quincy Co. was gone - given up when the merger had occurred - and it was as if their purpose in life had been ripped away. A few hundred people left the city, or even the country, searching for other careers with their talents.
They were the lucky ones.
One week after being removed from MOD, the first signs appeared among the community. Those long two months surrounded by the dying had ingrained the tell-tale symptoms into Ryuuken’s mind. Only this time, the onset of each following stage seemed to come twice as fast - the virus had returned, quicker to spread and deadlier. Those who had seen the results of the first virus resigned themselves to their fate. It wasn’t until Ryuuken’s wife passed away that he grew determined to find a cure for him and his son, Uryuu, no matter what.
Feeling that he was running out of time, he turned to his last resort: go ask for aid from MOD. Like a miracle, Mayuri did in fact have a cure; however he was only willing to offer it for a costly price. Ryuuken felt his suspicions were confirmed - that the MOD president had been the one to release the virus in the first place - but paid the money anyway, selling possessions as necessary to reach the high price that had been set.
In the end, 2661 people died in that town. Other than those who had left before the virus struck, the only remaining survivors were Ryuuken and little Uryuu.
~~~
Ishida felt as if his world had come crashing down to bury him, to suffocate him. He was going to be sick. Staggering into the bathroom attached to his father’s office, he bent over the toilet. Ryuuken watched him from the doorway impassively, gaze cool and blank.
“You were always weak, Uryuu.”
Wiping his mouth, Ishida gripped the white porcelain before him, eyes shut tightly as if he was trying to force away a bout of vertigo. In a way, he supposed he was.
I had been flying so high on a dream - a dream built on a lie. And now I have to fall and face reality.
“Weak and foolish. I was right to have left you - you were a waste of time, money and effort,” Ryuuken continued, watching as his son shakily got to his feet.
“Stop. Just stop. I don’t need to hear anymore. I’m leaving.”
Without another word, Ishida left the office and the hospital, slowly making his way back to the hotel. By the time he arrived, he felt eerily calm and went about the suite, packing some things into a duffel bag. Zipping it closed, he set it down on a couch and sat down beside it.
It was strange to think that a man he had been conditioned to hate for as long as he could remember was the very one he had fallen in love with. So many times he had heard the story of a man who had disappeared, leaving them all vulnerable and as good as dead. He grew to hate that man who had made his life so difficult but now…
Ishida glanced up when the door clicked open and stared at the grinning blond as his heart twisted sharply, emotions churning in his stomach.
“Uryuu~ How was…” Urahara trailed off as he took in the pained expression and packed bag. “What’s wrong?”
“… I went to see my father.”
The older man’s face changed, lips pressing together as his eyes darkened. “… I see. What did he say?”
“He told me all about you,” Ishida said softly, shifting his gaze to stare down at the carpeted floor. “You lied to me.”
“I didn’t know, Uryuu. Believe me. When I first met you, I didn’t know who you were.”
The young designer squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head. “I asked you on our very first date if MOD was your company. You told me ‘no’.”
“It’s not my company. The only ones I’ve associated with were SOUL and MOD-SOUL.”
“They’re the same thing!”
“Okay, you’re right. I was riding on a technicality but you have to believe that it wasn’t just to trick you. I have never thought of MOD as my company,” Urahara replied quietly, in an attempt to placate the boy. “When I did find out about what happened to your family, I meant to tell you but-”
“Wait,” Ishida turned to stare at him cautiously. “How long have you known?”
There was no reply as Urahara lowered his gaze to the ground, hat shielding his eyes and expression.
“How long?”
“… four months.”
“You knew for that long and you didn’t tell me?” Ishida got to his feet, staring at the man incredulously. “I can’t believe I had to hear all of this from my father, the man I haven’t seen in over three years, instead of you, the person I trusted completely. He was right - you do manipulate people.”
“Uryuu, I-”
“Don’t call me that,” he stated calmly, reaching over to pick up the bag’s straps. “When I first met you, I was amazed to have found someone who would help a perfect stranger so freely, so selflessly. But now I know the truth - you’re selfish. When you left your company you were selfish, not even thinking about the kind of consequences your absence would cause. Then you didn’t tell me about this for who knows what reason - if you wanted to get me in bed, congratulations, it worked.”
Ishida hefted the bag onto his shoulder and took a few steps forward, feeling oddly void of emotion as he stared at the man’s face blanketed in shadows. He knew he should be feeling something - hurt, anger, sadness - yet there was nothing. The only sign that this affected him at all was the ache in his chest.
“If anything I said wasn’t accurate, tell me.” There was only silence as Ishida exhaled slowly, moving to brush past Urahara as he opened the door. “I thought so.”
There was no attempt to stop him as he exited the suite or as he waited for the elevator. With a final glance at the man still frozen by the doorway, he closed his eyes and stepped forward as the chimes rang.
“I’ll get the rest of my things later. Goodbye, Urahara-san.”
~~~
Ishida wandered the lamp-lit streets aimlessly, the sun having set hours ago. It was getting late and he needed to find somewhere to go. He couldn’t go back to the Kurosaki residence - that would probably be the first place Urahara would look for him and he didn’t want to talk to him at the moment. Going to Ichigo and Rukia’s apartment would probably be the same, not to mention being rather intrusive. His father - not even an option. In the end, Ishida could only think of one place to go.
He knocked on the door of the small apartment and waited. He had only been here a few times, when everyone had been invited over for dinner - no one ever ate much - or for some other occasion but never for a social call. Granted, Ishida was never a very social person to begin with. The door opened to reveal Orihime blinking at him curiously.
“Ishida-kun? What are you doing here so late?”
“I…” He simply shook his head, clenching the duffel bag straps. She glanced from the bag to his face before reaching out to pat him on the arm gently.
“Never mind, come on in. It’s late.”
Ishida felt he was fortunate that Orihime didn’t ask any questions and simply led him over to her couch. Sitting him down, she returned with pillows and a blanket, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“I don’t know what happened and you don’t have to tell me.” She tilted her head, a concerned expression on her face. “But if you want to talk, just let me know, okay? You’re welcome to stay here.”
He nodded slightly, murmuring a quiet thank you as she padded back to her room. His body felt tense and unsteady, yet still lacking the things he thought he should be feeling. Either way, there was no way he was going to get any sleep. Rummaging in his bag, he pulled out his sketchbook and a pencil - usually sketching things managed to calm him down enough to sleep. Ishida flipped through the pages, perusing some of his old sketches, before freezing as his eyes rested upon the most recent drawing. The one done by Urahara.
Suddenly, it was as if whatever wall had been holding back his emotions crumbled to dust. Tears welled up and flowed over as silent sobs shook his body, the book dropping to the floor as he curled in on himself. Ishida clutched his arms tightly; the pain in his chest was so strong that he feared it would rip right open. It was nearly dawn when he finally collapsed to sleep from exhaustion.
What had broken his detached demeanour was not only the drawing itself but the hastily written message that accompanied it. In Urahara’s familiar scrawl were the simple words, ‘I love you’.
A/N: Um. Don't kill me? *runs* XD
To Chapter 12
X-posted places