outside his vision
11. painting with colour

It happens too quickly, after his moment of enlightenment. He has a good think about himself, and his father, and what's so different about the two of them (aside from the obvious things, like physical appearance and how he's been raised and how his mother's the voice of reason in the family, and how he's been aware of the spirit world since about the same time as he became aware of this one…).

He has a good long think, and then he's interrupted by the sword stabbing him. To his credit, he manages to get as far as pulling his zanpakuto out but not quite stabbing Urahara in the eye with it. It's tempting to follow through on the motion anyway, but Urahara is trying to restore his father's powers so probably best to leave him in one piece. Especially since it's been over a week, now, since his father's seen him. Over a week since he's been stuck in this time.

He manages not to stab Urahara in the eye. Though Urahara used to be a full-fledged Shinigami, apparently, so he probably won't have done any damage without his shinkai at minimum.

'So you have a zanpakuto too,' Urahara hums, staring at the sword. 'Can you transform it?'

'I can,' Kazui replies, 'but I'm not supposed to yet.'

'Of course, of course. Using powers you don't have complete control over can be dangerous.' He laughs to himself. 'Of course, Ichigo is another matter entirely. Takes a sword that appears in his hands and stabs a monster that's appeared in front of his eyes like he's swung swords and fought Hallows all his life.'

He's heard that before, and a lot of people have told him how dangerous doing things like that can be. And his mother's told him how thankful she is he didn't inherit his father's reckless nature. Rebellious sometimes, but generally not towards his parents (because you don't grow up in a Shinigami household and not see terrifying things, and that's not counting all the other stuff his parents are involved in, and obviously his parents know best)… except when it comes to exploring parts of Soul Society they're not supposed to venture into alone with Itsuka.

He can blame Itsuka. She's the real rebel of the pair, the one running about and getting into trouble and over-exerting herself because she's trying spells and techniques she hasn't quite got the experiences or reserves for. Adventurous, colourful Itsuka. Not the grey the zanpakuto in Urahara's hand is smoking. Not the tinge of grey on everything else, either.

He can't get used to that, the grey everywhere: a sign that he's not in his own time, and he can't ever get comfortable here. Even if his mother's hair is bright, it's muted compared to the real thing.

Maybe Urahara's muted, too. And maybe his own pain senses are muted, because that didn't hurt as much as getting stabbed too. But then he runs his fingers over the place and comes away with nothing and realises someone hasn't explained something properly, because he hasn't actually been stabbed. 'Some sort of spell?' he asks.

'Of course,' Urahara replies, 'otherwise we can't keep it in the zanpakuto for Ichigo-kun.'

'Of course,' Kazui parrots. It'd be nice to have known that before he thinks he's been stabbed. At least there's no blood. He's not the greatest with blood. And good thing spiritual beings don't bleed like humans do, because he's not the greatest with blood.

Ah, he's thought that already. He's going in circles now. Why is that?

'You're looking pale.' Urahara's hands are suddenly on his shoulders. 'I didn't actually stab you though, and your reitsu should be compatible with such spells, with Ichigo-'

Kazui doesn't hear the rest. There's a roaring in his ears instead, like he is bleeding out on something (and Urahara's finally messed something up, apparently). He blinks rapidly, because his vision's getting all blurry too, but neither that nor shaking his head to clear his ears does very much, at first.

Then it all begins to clear. His eyes focus first and the burst of colour hits him so hard they water and go blurry again. He rubs his eyes quickly though. Rubs them dry and then stares. He's still at Urahara's shop but it's full of that obnoxious colour that his mother loves and his father thinks is bad taste (and he thinks it's creepy, because it's like the clowns at circuses) and that had been muted out by that grey sheen of the past.

Which means he's back. Presumably. Hopefully.

Couldn't he have popped up home instead?

At least there's no-one actually in the shop. He doesn't want to get into a discussion with Urahara that's not finishing the other one, because that's too confusing. He sneaks out instead. Sneaks out and walks home.

Things look right, at least. Not like last time when he'd walked through semi-familiar and washed out streets. He knows these ones. He knows them like he's run through them hundreds of times and he probably has. Not thousands yet. He's not that old. His parents might have, though.

He walks them this time, nice and slow. Maybe he's savouring the colour and familiarity. Or maybe he's a little tentative about going home because, last he recalls, his father looked through him like he wasn't there and his mother was young and awkward.

But of course she was young and awkward once. And he's far younger. Still, they can't avoid the story now. Not this story, anyway. The others will have their times… and hopefully not with adventures like these again. They're too confusing, though he's learnt a little something and maybe that will help him control his reitsu for spellwork. It might help with a bankai too, but not at his age. Bankai are really dangerous on young bodies, he's told.

Xcution though, and his father's loss of power… he needs to know those now.

But first, his father's eyes on him and his arms a warm embrace that say he can see him, and he's there.