"Until Shin'ō Academy reopens, you'll stay at my place."
"But you'll have to help with chores."
"You memorized the way here, right?"
Makoto's captain haori hung loosely on his shoulders as he held a small boy's hand, nagging like an overbearing mother.
Sōsuke, tugged along, wore a subtle expression.
When asked, he responded with a stiff face, measured and formal. "Yes, Makoto-sama."
"No need to be so formal." Makoto said lightly, grinning. "If you're unsure what to call me, 'Otou-sama' works too."
"I understand, Makoto-sama."
Black lines practically slid down Sōsuke's forehead.
But to avoid provoking this dangerous man, he replied seriously.
"You really have no sense of humor." Makoto chuckled, reaching for the door.
Before his hand touched it, the door flew open.
"Makoto-nii!"
A head of pink hair popped out, voice brimming with excitement, as if ready to pounce.
Thud!
Kirio dove into his arms.
She pounced.
"Wow!"
"A Makoto-nii with all his limbs is just too perfect."
"You're not hurt, right?"
Though a youthful maiden, Kirio acted like an overgrown child around Makoto, burying her face in his chest, rubbing back and forth like a starving cat, clinging tightly.
Makoto pushed her away irritably, one hand on her cheek, but Kirio stuck like glue, refusing to let go. Her well-developed figure pressed against him, flattened by the squeeze.
Clingy!!
He eyed the snot and drool on his new clothes with disgust.
Not a speck of dust from the Living World battle, yet ruined the moment he got home.
"I'm fine, totally fine!"
"Besides, you Twelfth Division folks could see everything from the meeting room, right?"
"You… this is a new outfit!"
"Hehe!" Kirio giggled, clinging and grinning goofily.
Makoto sighed, propping her head with one hand and nodding toward Sōsuke. "This is Kirio Hikifunee."
"Call her Kirio-obasan from now on."
Thwack!
A fist slammed into his stomach.
Makoto's mouth puffed out, his back bowing like a cooked shrimp.
Kirio withdrew her fist, huffing. "Obasan?! Makoto-nii!"
"I'm still a new-generation youth!"
"Wait?!"
Only then did Kirio notice the child beside Makoto.
Her body froze.
Sōsuke, barely waist-high, stared blankly at the sappy couple.
What a mess.
Was this the life he'd have to endure for a while?
Though young, Sōsuke's mind outshone most adults. He knew being 'adopted' by a renowned captain meant he was marked for intensive training.
But he also knew another truth, favors received now would demand steep repayment later.
With his current strength, Sōsuke was confident he could survive, even thrive, alone in Rukongai.
Being 'adopted' here didn't exactly thrill him.
Yet, his sharp mind knew when to play along, even if the man beside him seemed fixated on his backside.
So, Sōsuke brushed his new hemp yukata and bowed politely. "Greetings, Vice-Captain Hikifune."
"My name is Sōsuke Aizen."
"I'll be staying here from today."
Kirio, petrified, stood silent for a moment.
Her neck creaked like rusty gears as she turned to Makoto, her sunny face forcing a strained smile, muscles twitching. "M-Makoto-nii...?"
"I'd prepared myself long ago, but… why didn't you tell us about you and Captain Unohana?"
Thwack.
Makoto's hand chopped her head, sharp and crisp.
He snapped, "What are you on about? I've been refining my Golden Will lately. I haven't even visited sensei's place in ages."
"Don't slander me!"
"This kid was found during the Kensei chase. He's got nowhere else to go."
"His talent's exceptional, so I took him in."
Sōsuke shot him a sidelong glance, dripping with disdain.
Kirio exhaled, her dead eyes sparking back to life, her whole demeanor brightening as she looked at Sōsuke with warmth. "Why didn't you say so sooner!"
"I thought he was Captain Unohana's… hehe."
Kirio stepped forward, ruffling Sōsuke's soft hair, cooing strange "Yoshi, yoshi" Sounds.
"Hey there, Sōsuke-chan."
"Call me Kirio-nee at home."
Her smile was warm and bright.
Sōsuke nodded stiffly, face taut. "Yes, Kirio-nee."
Makoto stepped inside, muttering, "She's over three hundred years old…"
Kirio pounced like a tiger, teeth gritted, climbing his back like in their childhood, pummeling and nibbling his head. "Makoto-nii, you jerk!!"
"A woman's real age is an absolute taboo!"
"Ah, ah! So sorry!"
"I'm starving, Kirio-chan, please cook quick!"
Even mighty Makoto could only beg for mercy under her tiger assault, unable to fight back.
Kirio huffed, "You only remember me when you're hungry. So practical, Makoto-nii~!"
"You spend half the month sleeping at other people's houses!"
"Do you even remember this is your home?"
Her pouty voice brimmed with resentment.
Makoto could only laugh and plead, not daring to retort.
Despite her complaints, Kirio slid off his shoulders and headed to the kitchen. "We've got plenty of ingredients."
"What do you want today?"
"Katsu curry, and grill the leftover steak… oh! Add some cheese."
Makoto ordered like a lord, then glanced at the stoic Sōsuke, adding, "And a fish and chips burger kids' meal!"
"Got it~" Kirio drawled, unbothered by cooking.
Or rather, cooking for someone she cared about was the only time she had motivation.
Sōsuke had no objections to the menu.
Hearing unfamiliar terms like 'burger' and 'chips,' he glanced at Makoto.
Was this guy into feeding people weird stuff?
…
At the dinner table.
A pair of long chopsticks stealthily reached for the smaller plate, aiming for a fried fish stick at the edge.
Whoosh!
A small, pale hand shot out, heedless of grease, snatching it and stuffing it into his mouth with frantic nom nom sounds.
Makoto turned to Sōsuke, perched on a high chair.
His chubby cheeks bulged with three or four fish sticks, puffing out roundly, two sticks poking from his lips, held by his hands to catch every crumb, pretending not to notice Makoto's pilfering.
Despite his deformed cheeks, Sōsuke's face stayed taut, his focus seemingly unshaken by the delicious food.
Only the short legs dangling from the high chair swung back and forth in mid-air, toes curling upward.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his eyes.
Delicious!
Makoto eyed Sōsuke's spotless plate, a hint of defeat in his foiled scheme, muttering under his breath, "Tch!"
"I was just tasting it for you."
His sulky demeanor resembled a shady parent at a fast-food joint, too embarrassed to admit they devoured the kids' meal under the guise of "trying it"!
Sōsuke glanced at him, swallowing the last of the fried fish before turning politely. "The fish and chips were delicious. I've never tasted anything like it before."
"Thank you, Kirio-nee."
Kirio, chin propped on her left hand, tilted her head toward Makoto with a mischievous grin. "Very delicious~ That's what Sōsuke says, Makoto-nii."
She glanced at Makoto's already-empty plate and bowl, her eyes gleaming with anticipation, as if waiting for something.
"What's the big deal?" Makoto huffed. "I'm the one who taught Kirio-chan how to cook!"
"Including fish and chips."
Though in just a few years, she'd surpassed him, leaving him with nothing left to teach.
But once a teacher, always a husband!
Makoto wasn't about to relinquish his claim as the mentor of Soul Society's future top chef.
Seeing him dodge the topic, Kirio tilted her head further, her voice lilting with emphasis. "Makoto-nii~?"
Makoto clasped his hands solemnly. "Thanks to Kirio-chan for today's lunch. It was unbelievably delicious. I'd love another bowl."
"Another bowl?" Kirio's smile bloomed like melting spring snow, soft and radiant as dappled sunlight through a forest. "No way!"
"Eat any more, and you'll upset your stomach."
"Oh, and I washed the fruit already. Cut it yourself later."
"Yes, yes."
As expected, Makoto-nii was still like a kid.
Kirio tucked a stray curl behind her ear, feeling reassured.
Without her, he'd never take care of himself properly!
"Oh, right, Makoto-nii."
"I'm helping with experiments at Captain Senjumaru's this afternoon. I won't be back until tonight."
"Don't forget to clean the dishes."
"…"
Makoto went quiet for a moment, then looked up. "Kirio-chan, I'm not calling you Mom."
"Who asked you to?!" Kirio snapped, exasperated.
Another round of bickering ensued.
Sōsuke sat quietly, wiping his greasy hands with a napkin, his sidelong glance studying Makoto and Kirio, pondering their relationship.
They seemed like the closest of kin, yet tinged with subtle, complex emotions.
Siblings? Spouses? Or…
He recalled Kirio's mention of "Unohana's child" at the door and her dramatic reaction.
Sōsuke began to piece it together.
A mistress, perhaps?
What a tangled web of emotions.
"…Sōsuke?"
"Yes!"
Lost in thought, he snapped to attention.
Makoto turned, puzzled. "What're you thinking about? Go on."
"?"
Sōsuke looked at him, confused.
Makoto pointed to clothes on a shelf. "You're bathing first today. Grab those."
"Though we cleaned the blood off, a proper wash will feel better, right?"
"…"
"Yes!" Sōsuke hesitated, then agreed.
But as he hopped off the high chair and headed down the corridor, a faint unease lingered.
The last time someone treated him this kindly was back in District 71 of Rukongai.
The grandparents in District 71, despite their poverty, with only a tiny shack and thin walls that couldn't keep out the cold, sometimes left him hungry for lack of food or water.
Yet, for young Sōsuke, those days were the happiest since awakening in Rukongai.
But even that small happiness was snatched away, leaving him with nothing.
After entering the Seireitei as the Sōsukes' servant, though his material needs improved, his vengeance-driven heart felt no difference.
Servants' treatment wasn't exactly lavish.
Being casually told to bathe like this?
"…It's been a while."
Sōsuke murmured softly.
He shook his head, casting off the creeping sense of reliance, and stepped into the backyard bath.
Since becoming a captain, Makoto had moved from the barracks to a larger house, complete with a spacious hot spring like Saito's, steaming with mist.
Sōsuke shed his clothes, standing before a full-length mirror, examining his body as he hadn't before.
His frail-looking frame bore faded scars, knife marks, bite marks.
Not numerous, but striking on a child's body.
For revenge, he'd trekked from District 71 to the Seireitei.
In modern Rukongai, bandits with spiritual potential, unwilling to submit to Seireitei, roamed between districts.
And Hollows, occasionally slipping into Soul Society with some intelligence, preyed on roads, avoiding large settlements.
Sōsuke had grown from a child with only reiatsu to one skilled in Shunpo, dagger techniques, and unique illusion methods.
The hardships he'd endured needed no elaboration.
No one starts at the top.
Thankfully, it was over.
He tugged the corners of his mouth into a smile before the mirror.
A false expression.
He thought.
Turning, Sōsuke stepped into the warm pool, submerging up to his shoulders, his body and mind relaxing.
How long could such peaceful days last?
When would the price come due?
"…"
"The price, huh."
If he could become as strong as Makoto, would he gain the freedom to choose his life?
He indulged in the fantasy.
Splash!
As Sōsuke let his mind drift, the sliding door was yanked open.
His body tensed, nearly leaping from the water.
Makoto strode in, towel in hand, heading straight for him.
"Stinky brat!"
"Come scrub my back!"
Sōsuke shrank into the corner, watching Makoto's approach, his face paling.
The price was coming too fast?!
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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