Title: A Cupful of Heartache

Author: Cuzosu

Rating: M

Pairing: Shunsui and Kisuke

Summary: Shihōin Yoruichi has just died, and Tessai is worried for his long-time friend. Ichigo has been and gone, unable to help the blond because the blond didn't want to be found. So the former leader of the Kidō Corps. resorts to more drastic measures...

A/N: This *glares at fic* was supposed to be a one-shot, but the plot decided otherwise. And I find I just can't argue with such a wonderful plot.

Here's a tidbit y'all readers might find entertaining. Andy Griggs' "I'll Go Crazy" has been the theme song for this chapter, and given just how often I've played it while writing this, I suspect it's going to be the theme for the entire story.

Chapter One:

Kyōraku Shunsui knew he was probably staring at his former sensei. But after news like the death of Shihōin Yoruichi, he'd expected to have time to mourn the loss of vibrant, feminine life.

"Sorry, I'm not sure I heard you right." That was putting it simply. "You want me to go do something for or about Urahara Kisuke?" I know they were good friends, but what does her death have to do with scrambling to get a handle on the blond? Yes, scrambling; Shunsui was fairly sure that the harried expressions on the faces of the Captain-Commander and Unohana Retsu made 'scrambling' the correct choice of verb. And he was nitpicking now, so what? He had a right to be unsettled, damn it!

Yamamoto's brows knit together. "We received word from Tsukabishi Tessai not long ago. Urahara's condition is unstable, and not even our young substitute shinigami has been able to reach him. If this goes on, not only will Seireitei lose a valuable ally and the Kurosaki family a friend and teacher, but...his power is not one I feel safe leaving in the hands of a man unbalanced within himself."

Unohana frowned in concern, adding, "Tsukabishi-san specifically requested a captain who is good with sensing hidden reiatsu and further said that, given Urahara's past actions and experiences - and of course recent experiences - a man would be a better choice than a woman."

The dual-bladed duo narrowed their eyes.

"Why?" Ukitake Jūshirō asked.

"Because Shihōin Yoruichi was female, and he is of the opinion that his friend needs no reminders of her death. Of the male captains, you two are the best at sensing reiatsu. But, I fear, this task falls to you, Captain Kyōraku," she paused long enough to share a significant look with the white-haired captain, "as Ukitake's health is somewhat precariously balanced at the moment. The latest war has done no good in that regard, either."

Ukitake glanced regretfully at his old friend. He didn't like that his illness kept him from taking on this task, but... To be fair, the brunette really was the better choice, for more reasons than even their leader knew. Brown eyes hooded thoughtfully as he gazed at Eighth's captain. Maybe this will do them both good...

Kyōraku Shunsui sighed, one hand reaching up to tug his hat over his eyes. He remained like that a moment, lost in thought, before he sighed again, softer this time, and gazed at his former sensei with resignation. "Wish I didn't see your point, but I do. Nobody else fits the requirements." Damn...

As the brunette stood to rise, the aged Captain-Commander raised an eyebrow and added sagely, "And Shunsui...you have to be the mature one, because he's not emotionally fit enough to be stable on his own yet."

Shunsui's hat tipped forward to cover his eyes. "Got it." And with a somber, sad mien, the brunette flickered into shunpo to pack and go.

For her part, the healer was watching her patient with an air of muted curiosity, knowing that it would do no good to ask. Ukitake was hiding something - and from the way his eyes were glued to his friend, it had to do with Shunsui as well. Still, part of being a healer was keeping secrets, so she held her tongue and merely observed. Sooner or later, she would find out, she was sure of that much.

Tsukabishi Tessai answered the door before Squad Eight's captain even set foot on the porch. Dressed in his everyday clothes, he didn't seem to be distraught, but the tension in his face said otherwise.

"I've sent the children to Kurosaki's house for the time being. He's..." The big man frowned. "I can't read him right now, and that worries me." Because the only times he's ever gone this unreadable, everything's already gone to hell and he's manipulating us all to get the best end result he can. And now...I don't know what's going on in his head...

Shunsui tilted his head downward, face falling a little further into shadow. Tessai noticed but said nothing, used to such gestures from his friend, leader and boss. That said friend, leader and boss were all the same person was a given, due to the exile that had since been revoked, because no one else could plan and manipulate quite the way Urahara Kisuke could. Urahara was a first-rate genius, and Eighth Squad's captain was well aware of the monumental task he faced. But maybe he could catch up on his sleep while he was here, too. He could hope, right?

It was a relatively short walk to the kitchen, where the large moustached man prepared a meal and fixed two bowls for the guest and his old friend before dishing out his own food. As he moved to eat his dinner in the store's office, Tessai locked eyes with the brunette.

"I hope you can help," he rumbled. As he left the room, he added, "Last time I found him, he was in Yoruichi's room. I don't know where he is now."

As the door shut behind the other man, Shunsui stretched his senses. There was fading reiatsu everywhere, and some distance away the Kurosaki Clinic and home practically pulsed with energy. But in the store there was only Tessai, and in the rest of Urahara's residence...there was darkness, spread all about.

Laziness being part and parcel of his nature, the brunette narrowed his eyes at the former exile's skill and opted for the quick method. He flared his reiatsu, knowing Kisuke would have to adjust for it and in those precious few seconds there should be an indication of where he was.

Eighth Squad's captain carefully balanced two trays of food as he slid open the door to the former exile's lab. Or, more accurately, his inner lab, the one reinforced for dangerous experiments. It didn't just feel dark in here; it was dark. Apparently the blond hadn't wanted light. Well, Shunsui could deal with that, at least for the time being. Sooner or later he'd just have to ensure the blond went outside, that was all. Even if he had to drag the other man kicking and screaming.

Sliding the door shut again behind him, the brunette turned to face the room. "If you don't speak or otherwise let me find you, I'll pester you with methods I don't even use on my lieutenant or my best friend - or Yama-jii." So it was disrespectful to speak so casually of Captain-Commander Yamamoto. Frankly, Shunsui wasn't good with formality anyway; it tended to baffle, annoy, or depress him, and though this meant anyone he cared about was promptly nicknamed something appropriately informal (and either humorous or offensive) he still was one of the more fondly regarded captains.

A wave of anger washed the room with rage. Still, the utter darkness abated and Shunsui could vaguely make out the room and its current resident by the light of an experiment or two. There was a pale-haired figure sitting on the floor, a cup of sake in his hand that he'd long since forgotten about.

"That's better warm, you know," he said quietly, nodding to the now-cold cup of sake as he set down the tray. "Luckily for you, I thought you might want something to help take the edge off."

Another wave of emotion washed the room, this one full of grief but shot through with anger, sorrow, and something else. Shunsui frowned slightly, pondering the exact emotion. It wasn't guilt, exactly, and wasn't exhaustion. Though the blond ought to be exhausted. No, it was more...fed up? That felt right. But fed up with what? The brunette shook his head, knowing only time or the blond would tell.

Dull eyes watched impassively as the long-haired captain poured two fresh cups of hot sake. Urahara didn't protest when Shunsui carefully pried the cold cup from his fingers and replaced it, but when the brunette gently nudged the blond's hand toward his mouth, gray-green eyes glinted blood-thirsty crimson.

Retreating momentarily, Shunsui held his hands up in a conciliatory gesture. Then he pulled his own bowl off the tray, set it beside him on the floor, and set the tray and remaining bowl pointedly next to Kisuke, who graced him with a tired, disgruntled glare. Force feed me, that look said. I dare you.

Sadly for Urahara's will to fight, Shunsui was no fool. Instead, the other man sat down across from the blond and took up his own meal, an air of muted confidence about him. Not that he was feeling particularly confident about the situation; no, there he was treading a thin, sharp line...and he knew it. Because for all that Urahara had so far been relatively reasonable, though stubborn, the blond was emotionally broken...and it was only luck that had kept the brunette from brushing up against jagged egdes thus far.

Dark eyes watched somberly as Kisuke picked at his meal, listless and sad. It tore at Shunsui's heart to watch this, to see a man whose vim and vigor had always been so obnoxiously there, just beneath the surface and waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting...suddenly lethargic and dulled by death. But then, Kyōraku had always had a well-hidden soft spot for the younger blond man who had occasionally joined him for a nap or some sake. Just another drinking buddy, he reminded himself yet again. Albeit one who holds his liquor better than most of the younger shinigami.

"Have you been sleeping?" Kyōraku queried. But his attentive eyes belied the idle tone.

Apparently that was the final straw, for the next thing Shunsui knew, there was no blond in the room and his sake bottle was gone. He sighed heavily. This was turning out to be as much of a hassle as he'd thought it would, damn it. And on top of that, Kis-kun took the sake...

Tsukabishi Tessai looked up from the counter when the door opened. If he'd had hopes of good news, they died painfully when he saw the look on the brunette's face. But he kept his face emotionless, his own inner turmoil hidden carefully away from public view.

"I take it he was not receptive," the big man sighed. Sometimes it was so difficult to help his friend...

Kyōraku Shunsui lifted one eyebrow minutely. "You could say that. It would probably even be a fairly accurate description. But I was sent here to do something about either him or his state of mind - and before you get all defensive on his behalf, I'd rather find a way to help him heal than have to take him into custody and incarcerate him. He's more entertaining than Kurotsuchi by far, and a hell of a lot more sane than Kurotsuchi's ever been. Yes, let's keep him." Dark eyes laughed gently at Tessai from under the brim of a straw hat. A smile played about the corners of the lazy man's lips, a stark contrast to the air of sadness he currently wore like a cloak.

Tessai sighed again. "My apologies; I didn't mean to imply that you were going to act as...certain other shinigami we both know would." Second Squad's captain, to name no names. "You at least knew him well enough of old that...well, this behavior is both unusual and disturbing."

And that's a massive understatement, Kyōraku admitted wryly to himself. "Oh, don't worry; I know. I'll do what I can to avoid having to take him in, though." He waited just long enough for the other man to start to smile in relief, then added wistfully, "Kurotsuchi doesn't brew highly potent sake for me on a whim like Kis-kun did."

The larger man harrumphed - not on purpose; it was actually a combination of a disbelieving snort and a shocked cough - then shook his head and waved the captain away. "Help yourself to any of the spare rooms, and the roof of course is available as well."

Shunsui waved haphazardly at the man as he strolled back out of the room. Instead of turning towards his room, he headed for the kitchen - and Tessai knew he was going to find some sake and kick back on the roof. But that was to be expected of Kyōraku Shunsui, after all.

Maybe we're not so screwed as I thought, the big man mused. But really... Kis-kun? Sadness washed him under yet again as he realized that Yoruichi would have loved the nickname.

A/N: So I hope you enjoyed the read, and if you're interested in reading more, let me know! I'll be posting this on AFF too, and AO3 when I get an invite (let's face it, I'm cursing the waiting list).