Interlude 1: That time Kenji didn't know what to make of Shisui

A/N: Italics are mini-flashbacks if confused. Trying something new with doing flashbacks and the like.

He would never admit it no matter how much Yuuko teased him about it. But he liked having the kid around. It was nice, really nice. Better than dealing with his niece whose only two moods are loud and louder.

He wished he had met the boy sooner, preferably before that shithead Honda. He can only imagine what that old hag did around the boy.

The damn woman cackled.

He growled. "What's so damn funny, ya hag."

He only came to visit her because Shunsui was babysitting those damn brats of his. And Yuuko and those other brats were being more annoying than usual since the boy wasn't there.

"You, you shithead. Gotten fond of the brat, haven't ya? I can see it all over your face." she grinned at him like someone who won a bet.

"Also Yuuko's been around."

He narrowed his eyes. "What about it hag? Better than dealing with my niece."

Honda laughed. "Well that's two of us." She raised her bottle of sake in a toast.

He snorted but raised his glass of whiskey as well.

The kid was good, that was all he was going to say. His niece liked to spew flowery bullshit about how the kid was more than just good, it was annoying hearing the same thing over and over.

He was a good kid, but the kid was too kind, too nice, too easy to trust others. It was like it was impossible for the kids to be mean to people.

Later on this would cause problems for the kid and boy where they problems.

Anyway.

Touch, he had noticed was one of the kids' main ways of showing affection. It was weird being on the receiving end of that affection. In all his life none he has never had anyone shower him with affection the way the kid does to him and his niece.

It sounds weird, he should feel like a dirty old man, but he doesn't.

He'd come to realize that maybe the kid was just strange.

Yuuko thought the kid was being neglected. In a game of rock-paper-scissors they had decided who would bring the topic up.

He won of course.

"How's life brat?" he asked, looking at the boy. It was a quiet day. Not many customers at this time.

The kid looked at him, a bit surprised. Yuuko straightened on the stool she was sitting on.

"…It's okay." He replied after a bit of silence. He went back to wiping the tables.

Yuuko frowned at him, waving the magazine in her hand at him as a threat.

He snorted.

"Just 'okay'. Nothin' interesting or of importance to talk about." He tired.

Another pause as the kid thought about it a bit more. "…well my mother just got a request to create the weirdest bouquet and my dad's been busy with work. Ah, but we did go to the beach last week which was nice. I also saw a cat on…"

So maybe there wasn't any kind of neglect going on at home from the way the kid was describing that cat he saw. He had shrugged it off and just put it as a weird quirk the kid had.

It wasn't until he was almost hit by a car that he understood why the kid was so affectionate.

"Brat. What are you doing?" he asked, blinking at the pink hair that was suddenly in his vision.

Shisui realized that hugging the daylights out of his boss might look weird and scrambled away. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry, sorry Kato-san." He said, twiddling his thumbs. "It's just I heard from Hashimoto-san that you were almost hit by a car yesterday. I got a bit worried."

A bit is an understatement.

He took in the boy's appearance, shirt askew, pants zipper open, shoes untied. The boy's eyes were glossy as if he was going to cry any minute.

The boy gave him a small smile. "But it's good to see you're well." He sat on the barstool next to him. "From the way Hashimoto-san was telling me it seemed like you were really hurt."

He snorted. "That damn girl likes to exaggerate anything that deals with me. You should know that by know."

The boy gave a weak laugh. "Yeah. She sure likes to insult you any chance she gets."

He stared at the boy and sighed. "You…"

Shunsui snapped out of the staring contest he was having with the table. "I'm sorry?"

He patted the kid's back awkwardly. "You're a strange kid Shunsui."

He tugged the kid a bit closer so his chin was resting on the kid's head. "Don't go worrying like crazy just cause of a little accident."

The brat stilled when he pulled him in for a hug relaxing after a while.

"Yeah, yeah. You're fine. You're okay. Sorry, sorry." The brat mumbled, wiping his eyes to hide the fact that he was about to cry.

He hugged the kid a bit more tightly.

"Stop apologizing kid, it's annoying."

The boy gave a small laugh. "Sorry."

Lost. The boy looked lost.

And alone. Can't forget alone.

He hid it very well, but in moments of solitude he gained this look in his eye.

The brat looked like he was looking for something—someone—he could see it in the way the boy moved.

Always turning his head with a bright smile on his face to the right about to say something, but then realizing nobody was at his side. Leaning towards the right like he was expecting someone to be there.

He was used to someone else being by his side. Used to having someone near him.

After this discovery, he wondered if he had lost someone he was close to recently. A brother, a family member or even a friend.

On one of the days it was his turn to escort the kid home, he had asked the boy's mother.

"I've noticed that your son seems a bit…sad at times. If you don't mind me asking but has something happened recently?" he asked the mother once he was sure the boy was out of earshot.

She turned away from the door to face him. "No," she finally said, after the impromptu staring contest. "Nothing has happened recently. Shi-chan…I mean Shisui he's…he's always looked like that."

She bit her lip, looking away from him. "I, I don't know what caused it but he's always had that melancholy air about him when he thinks no one's looking. My husband and I we've never done anything to hurt him, we love him immensely, always making sure he's happy, supporting him in whatever he does. He seems happy but, but I can't help but wonder if we went wrong somewhere…"

Neither adult talked, letting what the woman had said hang in the air.

"You happy kid?" he asked one day, hoping that maybe he had been overthinking the whole thing.

"I'm fine." was all he said.

"He's doing better you know, not good but better." the mother said, breaking the silence. "When he was younger he would keep the other kids at a distance, he'd play with them but he seemed…off, like he wasn't used to playing with kids his own age. He was also a quieter and politer child."

She turned back to face him. "I think working at your establishment has helped a bit. He seems more cheerful."

He shook his head. "I doubt it."

She waved away his answer. "He talks about you and, what was it, Hashimoto-san a lot. He always seems happy when he does…I think he loves you and Hashimoto-san."

He balked. He started waving his hands in the air. "Woah now! I'm not interested in mi-"

She cut him off with a chuckle. "No Kato-san, god no, he…he sees you as nakama…"

When he heard that he was shocked beyond belief.

Secretly he was pleased to know that this little squirt saw him as nakama.

"Nakama huh?" he mumbled out loud. He put down the cup he was cleaning back in its place and grabbed another one.

Maybe that was what the kid needed, a bond that couldn't—wouldn't—break no matter how much is put on it to break it.

The sound of someone entering the bar reached his ears but he didn't look up from the intense glare he was giving the cup in his hand.

"Hey Kenji-san I brought you dumplings." Shisui said brightly.

He looked up to give the boy a gruff nod. "Brat."

Shisui gave him a smile.

He didn't know if he was able to meet whatever expectations this kid had set up for him.

The bar door opened again, bringing more familiar faces inside.

"Yo Nishimura-san, Kato-san."

"Kato-san, Nishimura-kun. It's good to see you two are doing well."

"Nishimura-kun, Kato-kun."

"Yo Kato-san, Nishimura-kun."

But.

"Shi-chan! What about me?! I want dumplings too."

"Himura-san, Nishimura-san always brings dumplings for everyone. You should know this by now."

"Maa…Tanaka-san quit giving me that face. It's scary."

"Dumplings? I hope you made some for us to Nishimura, since Love here ate the dumplings you sent us."

"I said I was sorry Lisa."

"Sorry doesn't bring back fee food Love."

"Damn."

"Oi, shitty old man!"

"Shat up Yuuko."

"Ah?!"

But.

Glancing at his side he was able to make out the huge smile on Shisui's face.

"Of course! I brought enough for everyone."

But he didn't think he was alone on this one. There were others who would help out Shisui too.

"Shunsui there's some plates and utensil in the back if you need them."

"Thanks Kenji-san!"

"Old man, how many times I gotta tell ya! His name's Shisui!"

"…ah."

Haha…ha…ah.

So here's a bit of a look at how one of the people in Shisui's life sees him. I'm planning to do one for each of the people in his life, not just his classmates, parents, and those at the bar but the Visored, Kurosaki family, and those at the Urahara shop. I feel it'll help me out in writing from other people's perspectives and seeing how I characterize them especially those from the manga.

This is also a thing to let you guys know that I'm still alive and haven't just left this story to rot.

I'm still writing chapter six. I keep editing while writing so yeah. I feel it's going to be a long chapter. After chpt six I'm going to start chapter seven so when I update again y'all will get two chapters and probably another interlude since I have a bunch of them.

So thanks for reading.

Comment, review, critique, and whatever else you do to a story.

Don't own Bleach.