Best Game Ever.

By Timewaster123456789, Ganymede Lullaby, and SesshomaruFreak.

For Salazar Marvalo's birthday! Happy birthday, hon! We love you 💙

"So what's the deal with you and Rukia?" Uruhara asked, setting down his glass and watching a rather depressed-looking Ichigo.

Ichigo snapped his head up and glared weakly at Urahara. "What are you talking about, geta boshi?"

Uruhara cocked an eyebrow. "What? Trouble in paradise?" he asked, pouring another glass.

"Why are you so damn nosey? There was never anything going on between us in the first place! So stop asking me dumb questions that have nothing to do with you!" he hated the smug look Urahara gave him behind his glass.

"Ah don't be mad!" he joked. "Ask me something, then we're even, right? If you dare." He gave a suggestive wink and poured another glass.

Ichigo didn't trust where this was going, Urahara usually had a motive for everything he did, but he decided to play along. "Okay then. Why have you been following me more lately?"

"Lonely," he replied chipperly with an innocent smile. "If you aren't into Rukia, who is the lucky flame?" he asked leaning forward with a conspiratorial smile, eyes hidden by his trademark hat.

Ichigo was confused. Lonely? He's lonely? None of that made sense and now he was asking about Rukia again. Trademark scowl in place, the teen answered Urahara, "Cut the crap! You're seriously lonely? Is that why you're prying in my life? Does it entertain you?"

Shit! Ichigo was supposed to have assumed that was a joke.

"You haven't answered yet, so I don't have to. Unless you have..." he mused, hiding his hopefulness. "In that case yes it does. Your turn again. Why have you been avoiding your little friends?"

The teen sighed. He really wasn't in the mood to play games right now. He knew that Urahara wouldn't just take the hint he didn't want to talk though, he was getting annoyed now, "Why are you ? Maybe I just don't want to be around them! I can be alone, can't I?"

"You can but it sucks," Uruhara laughed, "My turn again, you're really bad at this." He laughed again, it seemed the whisky was finally touching him.

"Why do you hate me?" His voice cracked the tiniest bit. Fuck! Oh well, if Ichigo said anything he'd just say it was slurring.

"Hate you? What are you talking about, geta boshi? You annoy me with all your sarcasm and inability to be serious unless it suits you. And not to mention you're a liar." He gave Kisuke a pointed look then, but there was no anger or disdain in his expression. Ichigo was just being honest. Something twisted in Kisuke's gut seeing that. "But I don't hate you."

Well that was something. Urahara took another shot, waiting for Ichigo's question. What had possessed him to start this? It wasn't fun anymore, in fact he suddenly had the distinct impression that he'd bitten off far more than he'd intended.

Ichigo took another shot and glared halfheartedly. He absolutely felt the effects of the alcohol, "So tell me why you put on this front like nothing bothers you?"

Had he been sober he would have covered better, but his eyes widened a bit as the question caught him off guard.

"...Nothing does," he replied with a smile. Then sighed because well, what was a game without rules?

"Everyone, from exiles to soul society to you, relies on me to come up with something when no one else can. I need to have all the answers, people start getting scared if I don't and you can't have people panicking on a battlefield. They need that thing to hold onto. Some kind of certainty, so they can focus on fighting, it's quite the honor," he half-wished Mayuri was here to bitch about his cockiness.

Ichigo was given pause at the confession. "That sounds...like a lot of responsibility. Lonely, too. What do you do if you don't have an answer?"

The older man waved his fan back and forth, "Nuh-uh-uh. You already asked your question. Now, Ichigo, truth or dare?"

Ichigo sipped his whiskey and coke as he considered his answer. He didn't know when they'd gone from asking questions to Truth or Dare, but he was willing to roll with it.

"Fine, truth," Ichigo said wanting to learn more and hoping the other would reciprocate.

"Do you think I'm evil for creating the Hogkoyo?"

Ichigo blinked at the magnitude of the question. "No," he answered honestly. "Aizen is the evil one, not the Hogyoku. You aren't evil for making it; without it, Shinji and the others would be long gone. Instead, they're here today because of you. You...you did good. You know that, right?"

Uruhara blinked at the water suddenly filling his eyes. Huh, he hadn't thought he was drunk enough to be so maudlin.

He took a shot to cover, "Yeah, course," he said coughing a little at the burn. "Dare."

Ichigo scowled at the damn striped hat, always hiding his mentor's face...""Ok, fine. I dare you not to wear your hat for the rest of this 'game'."

The older man froze for a second, then removed the hat and ran one hand through his shaggy blond hair. Gray eyes met Ichigo's, "Your turn."

"Truth," he'd try one more time for reciprocation.

"Why are you actually here?"

Ichigo stiffened and swallowed. Crap. Rules were rules.
"I didn't want to be around the others tonight. I've been in a sort of crappy mood lately, and ...honestly, you were the only person who seemed bearable."

He swigged his whiskey and coke, coughing slightly, "Your turn, Kisuke; truth or dare?"

He hid his surprise at the response and just to throw the kid a bone said, "Truth."

Really Ichigo had zero guile, it was almost sad.

Ichigo frowned at the shopkeeper, "Why do you bother helping? They kicked you out for something you didn't even do. I've never understood. So why?"

"Because if I learned an'thing from that whole..." he gestured vaguely "...thing...it was that Soul Society needs someone who doesn't play by the rules. Mayuri exists for the same reason in a sense, but he still answers to C46 even if he'd deny it to his dyin' breath. They may hate me but they need me." He looked away wishing he still had his hat.

He picked up his fan and opened it in front of his face. "Your turn, Ichigo. Truth or dare?"

The teen smiled a bit crookedly. "Dare. Hit me with your best shot, geta boshi."

"Tell your flame how you feel," he said.

Ichigo stared at him with his mouth hanging open like a fish. He smirked as he reached over and shut his guest's mouth. "What, not brave enough for this dare? You said to hit you with my best shot."

Ichigo shook his head, "'S not that I'm not brave enough, exactly. I just don't know how to tell...this person how I feel."

"Why?" he asked, smirking like the devil himself and glad for the distraction from his darker thoughts.

Ichigo hesitated, staring down into his drink. "Well, they're older. And really...I dunno, smart and sophisticated. And I don't know how to explain my feelings - they're all mixed up. But this person is amazing! Talented and attractive, and has kind of a messed-up life like me. I think...I'm in love. And maybe you're right, maybe I'm not brave enough."

Kisuke felt his smirk fading. Sounded like the younger man was in deep.

"Well have they indicated any interest?" he asked, genuinely wanting to help.

Again, the hero seemed to hesitate. How odd, Ichigo never hesitated.

"I don't think so, really. I think they just sort of tolerate me? See me as annoying and entitled, maybe."

Kisuke tilted his head and closed his fan, "Then it is up to you to change that opinion."

Ichigo glowered at him and that stupid fan but...'Why are you following me?' 'Lonely' He'd said it like a joke but he'd also dodged like it was a bankai when Ichigo'd asked if he was serious. So maybe...he had a shot?

Kisuke saw when Ichigo's expression shifted from his trademark scowl to something...contemplative. The younger man looked like something important had just occurred to him, something that required serious thought.

Then Ichigo asked softly, "Truth or dare, geta boshi?"

He blinked, not having realized they were still playing. "Truth," he answered without really thinking.

His guest smiled. "Do you have a 'flame'?"

"Heh I'm an admirer of beauty, there are people I find attractive but..." he almost hedged before remembering that there were rules. Damn.

He swallowed thickly and glanced away from those intense brown eyes. A 'flame' indeed, one who looked and lived like fire itself.

"Relationships require trust," he gave Ichigo a look that was meant to be wry but the pressure of the last few months and alcohol made it a bit watery. He looked away again, "I'm more for flings. I wouldn't do that to someone I actually cared about."

Ichigo tilted his head. "And...is there someone you actually care about?"

"Nuh-uh your turn," he said around the lump in his throat.

Ichigo shook his head and sighed, "Dare, I guess."

"Eat one of these," he held out a silver tray with ten small discs the size of a nickel, one each red, blue, yellow, green, purple, orange, black, white, gold, and silver.

Ichigo blinked and stared at the tray. "Uhhh..."

Kisuke chuckled, "Relax, none of them will kill you...I don't think."

Those whiskey-colored eyes lifted to his, wide and filled with apprehension. He chucked again, "That was a joke. Go on, a dare's a dare."

Ichigo reached out and tentatively took the purple disc. He eyed it warily then closed his eyes and popped it in his mouth.

Nothing happened for a moment while Urahara watched expectantly.

An odd pulling sensation brought Ichigo's hand to his chest, "I think something's wrong I..." he stared.

"Hello Zangetsu, Whisky?" Urahara asked.

"Yes thank you," the manifested zanpakuto said before turning to Ichigo, "Greetings Master."

Ichigo nodded numbly.

Kisuke smiled wickedly, "Zangetsu, truth or dare?"

Zangetsu smiled knowingly, "Truth."

Urahara gave his own trademark mysterious smile, "What's the greatest current obstacle to Ichigo unlocking more of your power?"

Ichigo gasped, but it was too late.

Zangetsu spoke confidently, "He's not being true to himself. Once he confesses to...his 'flame', his heart will be more open and our bond will be deeper."

Urahara blinked, he hadn't been expecting that, "Sooo you heard him you want to get more powerful riiight?"

He took a shot to brace himself for Ichigo's answer if he rose to the bait.

Zangetsu looked at Ichigo, "Truth or dare?" The double meaning hung in the air.

Ichigo hesitated for a long moment, his heart pounding. Finally, he whispered, "Dare."

"Confess your feelings to the object of your affections," Zangetsu said with a gentle smile.

Ichigo's mouth dropped open. Crap crap double crap.

He turned to Urahara, who for some reason, seemed on edge, gripping his fan white-knuckled. Oh god this was too much!

He felt Zangetsu nudge him, and he took a deep breath. Ok, rip the bandaid off.

"Kisuke, when we were talking about my 'flame', I was talking about you. It's been you from the day you saved my sorry ass in the street."

Urahara forced a laugh and had a teasing remark on the tip of his tongue before the words registered, wait...him? Ichigo had said it was him. Happy tears came to his eyes.

"Me?" that was smooth, he winced but was too drunk and too surprised to respond any other way.

Ichigo bit his lip as he nodded. He moved around the table to sit at Kisuke's side. "Yeah, you."

Neither of them noticed Zangetsu fading away with a happy smile.

Ichigo leaned up and kissed the older man, and they fell to the tatami, forgetting everything else in a flurry of kisses and touches and 'damn, why all the clothes?'

Hours later, somehow in Kisuke's bed, they lay entwined, and one last thought blazed across their minds.

Best. Game. Ever.