Indelible Stains [Bleach SI/OC] by zarinthel

Latest Update:September 18, 2022

Summary: Urahara always had an eye for talent. Unfortunate, however, that he didn't have an eye for character.

If he did... well, then he might have recognized that some people are best left out of a direct path to power.

Fortunately for him, all Shion really wants to do is watch the world burn.

Link: https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/indelible-stains-bleach-si-oc.103545/#post-23910162

Word count:47k

Chapters:9

Chapter 1: Fox in the Henhouse

Shion liked to think they were an exemplary member of the Kido Corps. They minded their own business, did their part to maintain the seals on the execution platform, and mostly spent their time altering known barrier kido to have more fun, labyrinthine structures.

What's the point of making a barrier with an exit? One may ask.

But really, what's the point of making anything without an exit? Build one in, and they have to use it: leave it out and they have to break it.

"It's common sense," Shion informs Kido Corps Commander Tessai Tsukabishi, eyes distracted by the oversized nature of the huge yellow lined collar of his otherwise blue coat, the nature of his glazed sunglasses, not to mention his impressive mustache. "It may appear to be less efficient, but in a true combat situation, this method would actually waste less reishi."

His mustache twitches.

"Shion Kamiya," Tessai says gravely. "I didn't call you here about your design. You have...a visitor."

"No, I don't," Shion says immediately. "No one wants to see me."

"You have two visitors," Tessai corrects himself as a young child with blonde tufted pigtails kicks down the door, scowling as she looks between the tall bulky and ugly-coat-wearing commander and Shion, who wears a perfectly ordinary shinigami robe except for the single kido corps insignia badly patched onto one sleeve.

"I thought you were taking me to another stupid, miserable place like you did last year with the Maggot's Nest," the kid says, looking behind them at where Kisuke Urahara has stepped through the broken door, apologetic laughter bubbling in his throat as his clogs crunch on the fallen wood. "But this is just...nothing!"

"Now, now, Hiyori," Urahara says, one hand scratching the back of his neck. "This is the headquarters of the Kido Corps... think of it as the reverse of my old job. Instead of a visible prison where people spend the rest of their lives kept away from the Seireitei, this place is where people who could have been dangers to the Soul Society instead tirelessly work for its benefit!"

He smiles with dazed eyes at Shion.

"Isn't that right? Shion Kamiya."

Shion twirls a strand of his faded coral hair around his finger.

"I don't know..." they say. "I feel pretty tired."

Tessai sighs.

"Kisuke-san." he says. "If you're going to linger, you should have given some advanced warning. The barriers we took down for you will be going back up soon: I could have simply delivered a message to Kamiya in your place."

"I knew it," Hiyori says immediately, whirling to glare at Urahara. "You lied to those guards!"

"Um..." Urahaha laughs awkwardly again. "I suppose you could see it like that?"

But his eyes are still fixed on them.

"You seem to have calmed down a lot, Kamiya," Urahara comments. "Maybe I shouldn't have come after all..."

"Yeah," Shion says, smiling agreeably. "I've settled down. On the other hand, you seem to have gotten more risque... It's a new low for you, bringing a middle schooler with you to a midnight tryst."

"Why you--!" Hiyori leaps into the air to kick Shion in the face, only to get snagged by the back of her robes by Urahara inches before the kick would have connected with his face.

"Thank you for defending my honor," Urahara says while Hiyuri kicks at him to let her go. "But I brought you here to gain a subordinate, not to lose one... aha. hah."

"What do ya mean!? I almost had him!"

"Ah, Hiyori...I came all the way out here because you were worried Kurotsucchi didn't have enough of a leash...let's be nice to them! This is a recruitment effort, after all."

"You picked Mayuri over me?" Shion says. "That guy?"

They cross their arms.

"You know, he used to steal my make-up products back in the Academy because he was too embarrassed to buy his own."

"I think he makes his own now," Urahara says. "Which brings me back to the topic at hand!"

His arms sweep out, Hiyori dropped unceremoniously to the ground as she yelps and begins to curse him.

"No it doesn't," Shion says. "I stopped wearing make-up years ago. It's hard to get access to products when I'm under such careful shopping restrictions, you know. And then the habit just starts to fade..."

"The topic," Urahara continues, "Of your placement in Squad 12."

"That's your squad now?" Shion says. "And to think I was once arrested by a mere unit 3 stealth squad commander."

Though, doesn't that just mean Urahraha had been the third seat of the 2nd Division.

"Not arrested," Tessai says. "Recruited into the Kido Corps due to observed potential."

Shion's lips curve up.

"My specialties are making cages and inescapable death mazes," he says, soft voice filling his words with a melodic type of cheer. "But that's simply because I'm inspired by what's around me. Is that what you're promising me, Kisuke Urahara? Inspiration? Because I don't need it."

"How could that be?" Urahara says. "You already have all the materials you could need to create more kido, you already have all the inspiration you could ever need, you've given up on material things.."

He smiles at them, the playful uselessness he loves dissolving as he looks at them with the loving selection of a fisherman putting a squirming worm on their new hook.

"I told Kurotsuchi that should I ever die, he would be the one and only director of my new Research and Development Division. But for you, I thought I'd offer something different. How about... if Kurotsucchi dies, you can have his spot?"

"So it's like a shark chain?" Shion asks, fascinated. "The goal should always be to kill the one in front of you?" He looks down at Hiyori. "What about her? Can I try to kill her?"

"No, you can't!" Hiyori says, scowling. "I'll kill you."

"My lieutenant has been grandfathered into the program," Urahara says. It must be so annoying for him to constantly have his hair falling all over his face like that. "I didn't know you wanted that position, Kamiya."

"I'm just thinking about my future," Shion says softly, lifting both their hands up in a vague approximation of defensiveness. Then they hold out a hand to Urahara, patiently letting it hang in the air until he grasps it with his own clammy palm.

"You're going to regret this," they tell him, patient and honest as when they'd told him they wouldn't be in the Kido Corps forever. They wouldn't have agreed if it wouldn't be regretful. "I look forward to working with you."

A single shake of both of their hands.

"Welcome aboard," Urahara says. "Let's head back to my division."

Behind him, Tessai clears his throat.

"You can't do that, Kisuke-san," he says. "Your entrance set off alarms. Give us a few hours to reset all the wardings."

"What..." Urahara says. "Tessai, that's not the way it was last time I came down here!"

"I'm stuck here!?" Hiyori groans. "With these losers?"

"Sadly," Tessai says, though he doesn't sound sad at all, "You've just recruited the guy we had in charge of internal barrier seals."

"I was making my own death trap," Shion says, unbothered. "There's an art to catch and release traps, Urahara-senpai."

The conversation stalls out as Hiyori stares at him in horror.

"Uhm..." Urahara says. "Isn't the term 'captain'. Kamiya."

"You've taught me again. Thank you so much, Urahara-senpai." Shion bows a little.

"Tessai?" Urahara says.

"Yes, Kisuke-san?"

"I think there's something wrong with Kamiya?"

"There is so much wrong with this guy," Hiyori says, crossing her arms.

"As I said in my reports," Tessai says stolidly. "Shion Kamiya was a natural fit in the kido corps, and was both obedient and helpful to all superior officers."

"I thought you were joking, Tessai."

"How cruel," Shion says, placing one hand on their cheek. "You doubt your own friends? Can you afford to do that, Urahara-senpai?"

"Ahah..."

"It's rude to call your captain a friendless, no good loser!" Hiyori says. She pauses. "Even if he is one."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Hiyori-senpai," Shion says easily. "My mistake. I only meant to imply that he was very confident in his--"

He pauses, startled, as Hiyori grabs his own hand and starts vigorously shaking it.

"Welcome to the 12th Division!" Hiyori says. "You are going to be so much better than dumb Mayuri."

"...Yes," Shion says slowly, staring down at her. "I already am."

It's been so long since Shion was allowed to carry their zanpakuto. A simple tanto blade, black wrapped hilt and a white tassel. Ryuketsu whispers in their ears, an almost indistinct huff.

"Did you keep it with you the entire time, Urahara-senpa?" Shion asks, tucking it into the sleeve of their robe. "Thank you for taking such good care of her."

"You're too humble, Kamiya," Urahara says. "I'm afraid I can't reveal where any confiscated zanpakuto are kept."

"Thank you for the kind words, Urahara-senpai," Shion says, politely bowing from the waist once again. "I'm learning from your example."

"Think nothing of it!" Urahara says, waving his hands a little as he escorts them the rest of the way back to the 12th Division. "I'm just doing my duty as captain...every shinigami of the Gotei 13 are entitled to their swords."

"And yet you never use yours, Urahara-senpai..." Shion says.

"Some things are only meant to be used on special occasions, Kamiya. Otherwise they get spoiled."

"Really?" Shion says, tucking a loose strand of his hair back behind his ear. "Isn't using it just part of the fun of being a shinigami?"

"The point of being a shinigami," Urahara says, "Is to improve the Seireitei."

"Once again I have learned from your perspective," Shion says. "Improving the Seireitei... Is it?"

"It is?" Shinji Hirako drops down in front of them, his own captain's jacket flapping in the evening breeze. The strangely diagonal cut of his front bangs looks like he might have tried to cut them himself, though the straight length of the rest of it implies that this is, perhaps, a deliberate choice. "And who is this, Urahara? I thought I'd be dropping in on a captain and his lieutenant, having a peaceful heart to heart."

"Ah, hello there," Urahara says. "Yes, I thought I'd finished recruiting too, but it turned out my squad was still missing an important person. This is Shion Kamiya: they're going to be working in SRDI as the in-house kido expert."

Shion waves.

"If you ever need any barrier designs, I'm your guy," they say. "I also do modified training chambers, torture devices, and pre-set traps! Perfect for any pranking needs, and I do take requests. Any friend of Urahara-senpai will naturally get a discount. Except if they are Mayuri."

Shinji stares at them.

"I can write this down," Shion says.

"Don't," Urahara says, extremely firmly. He claps a hand on their shoulder and starts bringing them forward at a quick pace.

"Talk to you at the captain's meeting!" He calls over his shoulder at Shinji.

"Oh," they can hear Shinji say behind them. "I definitely will."

"That guy..." Shion says, once Shinji's actually out of earshot. "He's so suspicious of me. Is your credibility so low, Urahara-senpai?"

Urahara gives them an unreadable look.

"Don't take it to heart, Kamiya," he says, finally. "He's just worried about all the bad influences that might be surrounding our young lieutenant..."

"He's worried about Hiyori-senpai? Then he should have just taken her as his own lieutenant."

"Ah, but he already has a relatively new lieutenant," Urahara says. "Though not quite as new at his job as I am at mine! Ahem. It's strange you didn't see him today, actually. Aizen Sosuke is rarely far from his captain's side."

"How admirable," Shion says. "It seems like a lot of work, being a lieutenant."

"Does it..?" Urahara says. "It's not a role I ever held."

Shion smiles at him.

"Of course not, Urahara-senpai. Didn't I just say it seemed like a lot of work?"

"Ah... haha. That's true."

There's a familiar figure waiting for them back at the 12th division compound. Hiyori stands at the gates, arms crossed.

"You're late!" She announces. "How long does it take for one person to find their zanpakuto!?"

"Good morning, Hiyori-senpai," Shion says. "Let me take the blame for this one... it seems that my skill at finding the things precious to me has grown rusty with disuse. I'll make a barrier for you, okay? Any type you want."

"I'm not a kid,' Hiyori growls up at them. "You can't bribe me!"

She's wearing the modified uniform of the research team, thick white fabric overlaying the normal robe to protect from stains or other, worse lab accidents. No matter Urahara's choice to completely divert the 12th division's previous speciality into his own interests, Hiyori has chosen to participate and learn about the new culture of her division.

Even after being abandoned by her previous captain, she's still capable of believing in such a bright future...

How wonderful.

"No?" Shion says. "Then I take it back. You stayed up to wait for Urahara-senpai and not me, after all. I'll see you in the lab."

"Wait!"

Now she really looks worried.

"Mayuri's in there."

"And?" Shion tilts their head. "What's that got to do with me?"

"He's gonna try to order you around. Since while he's in the research labs, he outranks everyone except the captain."

"Ah, so it really will be just like back in the Academy..." Shion clicks his tongue. "You can't let people like him have power, it just goes to their head."

"Hey..." Urahara starts.

"He wants me to do his chores!" Hiyori complains. "It's unbelievable.'

"Oh, no," Shion says. "What if he tries to do that to me? Will you help me out, Hiyori-senpai?"

"I'll tell him who's boss," Hiyori says, curling her hand into a fist for emphasis. "You can count on me!"

They can feel the weight of Urahara's gaze on their back.

They look back at him.

"And what about you, Urahara-senpai?" They ask. "Can I count on you?"

"Hmm..." Urahara says, dazed look back in his eyes. "I don't know."

They don't actually have anything against Mayuri, personally. Sure, he's a repulsive little roach that steals things that don't belong to him, is obsessed with self replication because he's disgusted by the very concept of reproduction, and the inferiority complex he has when he compares himself to Urahara's genius is only worsened by the self evident truth of how lacking in talent and imagination he truly is, but none of that's worth Shion exerting himself over.

That's why what they had done couldn't truly be called an 'exertion'.

"Kamiya," Urahara says.

His eyes scan over the completely broken glass vial with acid still burning a deep groove into the table top, the fire scar on the wall from where Mayuri had detonated a bomb hidden in a gigai suit that was nearest to them, the calm barrier that only existed to protect Shion's own workbench and had left the entire set of surrounding experiments to broil.

"How long have you been a part of this division, again?"

"Five years, Urahara-senpai," Shion says immediately. They stand at attention, hands clasped behind their back.

"And you, Kurotsuchi," Urahara sighs. "How long have you been a part of this division?"

"Six years," Mayuri says, golden eyes swiveling to look over at Urahara from where he's possessively guarding his remaining beakers.

"And, you two, what is the most important rule of the lab?"

"Don't trap people in the lab without any access to light or food."

"Don't implant bombs in lab technicians or in genetic sample material."

"Don't use your shikai during operating hours," Urahara says.

"I never even touched my zanpakuto," Mayru says huffily.

"I didn't use mine during operating hours," Shion says helpfully. "I deeply respect your lab rules, Urahara-senpai."

Mayuri's head jerks around to glare at them.

"You hear that," he hisses. "He did this! On purpose!"

Shion flicks a strand of their hair over their shoulder.

"I told you yesterday," they say. "It would be a bad idea to use that lab table for experiments today."

"Do you think I would buckle under such bland threats?" Mayuri demands.

"Threat? I thought it was giving a timely warning to a fellow squad member."

"Well consider this my warning: the next time you do such a thing, I will not take it lightly."

"Oh no..." Shion says, putting a hand in front of their mouth. "I just remembered... I may have gone a little wild with my shikai practice last night."

"Kamiya."

Urahara's voice cuts through their back and forth as he stares at them.

"Do I need to tell all the lab technicians to evacuate?"

"Ah..."

Shion waves both hands in front of their face.

"No, no, I'm so sorry for the added stress, Urahara-senpai... I'll mark out where I put all the cuts. That I remember."

"Not mark them, Kamiya. Get rid of them."

Shion gives him a helpless look.

"My deepest apologies... the only way to get rid of them is to activate them. Then they transfer onto the person in question: tada! No invisible cut in the world."

For example, the extremely deep cut on Mayuri's hand that had caused him to drop a full tray of his experiments.

"My regeneration also isn't working," Maryuri notes as his blood continues to fall onto the floor of the lab.

"Oh, another mark of my carelessness!" Shion says, pulling their zanpakuto out. "I'm sorry! You see, because Urahara-senpai said not to use my shikai during working hours--"

"Hey, what's going on in here," Hiyori says, charging into the room with her arms full of various machinery.

Urahra's eyes widen.

"Hiyori--" he starts.

"Yes, that's good," Mayuri says. "Now walk in a straight path towards me."

"What the hell?" Hiyori makes her way all the way to him, scowling up as she dumps the equipment on his desk. "I'm doing you the favour, here. Stop ordering me around."

"Yes," Mayuri says, voice monotone. He then steps forward towards the front door, following the exact path that Hiyori had just taken, only to stop as a bloody gash opens across his throat.

"Oh, you found a better solution," Shion says, looking relieved. "If everyone just crawls around at Hiyori senpai's height, then everyone will be safe."

Urahara slowly drags a hand down his face.

"Kamiya," he says wearily. "Kurotsuchi is bleeding out in my lab."

"I'm fine," Mayuri insists, the lethal wound to his throat not appearing to have really affected him that much aside from getting blood all down the front of his uniform.

"Oh, of course Mayuri, let me make this up to you..." Shion heads to leave the lab.

"Hey, what the fuck is going on in here!?" Hiyori looks between all of them, baffled.

"Kamiya, what are you--"

"I'm heading outside the lab to activate my shikai.." Shion says, looking back at them. "To help Mayuri. Isn't that what you wanted, Urahara-senpai?"

Shion wanders into the 4th Division, making his way through the various hospital wings until they find the captain's office.

He knocks on the door, patiently waiting for a response.

"Captain Unohana's not here," a cold voice states from beyond the door. "Come back later. Or don't."

Shion lets himself in.

A bland looking man with a cruel twist to his angular features and swept back black hair stares up at her from Unohana's desk, fingers drumming against an untouched stack of paperwork marked 'urgent'.

"You're on janitorial duty, whoever you are," he says, looking up at them. "I don't tolerate disobedience."

Shion beams at him.

"I'm Shion Kamiya," they say, giving a polite bow from the waist. "4th seat of the 12 Division. I've actually been sent here due to a pressing emergency: there was an explosion at the lab, we have massive casualties, potentially some deaths."

"You seem unscathed," the man says, voice remaining indifferent. "I can't authorize a large deployment without Captain Unohana giving her acceptance. I suppose you'll just have to wait."

"Thank you for your consideration," Shion says, gladly conjuring a cubed barrier to sit down on in the absence of there being any chair for visitors within the office. "I was actually sent due to being the only one capable of leaving containment without triggering the contamination seals. My also being unscathed was a lucky accident."

"I see," the man says.

"Yes," Shion says, eyes curved shut as they smile for a second before settling in for a long, engaging conversation. "And who might I have the pleasure of addressing? I'm afraid I'm still very new to the day to day happenings of the Seireitei. After being a bit of a shut in for so long, you know."

"Seinosuke Yamada, Lieutenant of the 4th Division," Seinosuke says, after a very long pause. "This isn't the place to wait for our captain: she can be much more easily found within the medical ward, with our long term patients."

"Seinosuke? What a lovely name. Very responsible sounding."

"I'm in the middle of some very urgent business, Shion Kamiya. Perhaps you would like to proceed with your own."

"I am putting," Shion says, "All due effort towards the task. Perhaps if I could help you with your emergency, you could find it in your heart to help with mine?"

Seinosuke stares at her.

"You will find my heart is quite small," he says flatly. "Almost as small as my belief in your capabilities."

He stands up from the desk, spine steel straight as he moves to stare down at them from directly in front. In his hands is a request form from the Seijin Council, offering a specific recruitment form for one Seinosuke Yamada to resign from his position and take up private practice within the noble quarter, attaining a life of luxury and privilege for the simple task of only healing nobility.

Shion whistles.

"You come at a bad time," Seinosuke continues. "I am in the midst of my retirement planning, and Captain Unohana will not return until I have made up my mind. Your visit here is useless-- with your reiatsu control, it would have been a more efficient use of your time to heal your squad mates yourself."

That's true.

"Healing just doesn't agree with me," Shion admits, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear. "I've tried it, but I just don't have the concentration! It's so boring. And Mayuri didn't even want any healers at all! That's why I came here."

"Boring?" Seinosuke repeats, voice deadening. "You find the act of preserving life... boring?"

Shion nods.

"You and Captain Unohana both," Seinosuke mutters. "I have to do everything around here..." He runs a hand down his face. "And you said... some of them did not want to be healed."

"That's right."

"Well." At last Seinosuke smiles. "At least that will be something to look forward to."

Shion bounces back to their feet.

"You know, they might be dead already," they say, opening the door for Seinosuke. "I can't say I rushed to your door."

A cold snort.

"Who do you think I am, Shion Kamiya? There's only one rule when it comes to my patients." A smirk, cruelty edging into the professionalism of his demeanor. "No matter who it is... no matter how close they are to returning to the cycle, how much they yearn for the release of death-- a patient under my care will never die."

"Good to know," Shion says, shutting the door behind him and then having to speedwalk in order to catch back up. "You know... I think we are going to get along just fine."

"No we will not."

They give him a friendly nudge with their shoulder.

"You don't mean that...think of all the lab accidents still to come!"

"Kamiya."

He can always instantly recognize the dulcet tones of Urahara's sleep deprived voice. Shion looks up from where they've been seated on the floor, various iterations of Bakudo #58: Kakushutsuijaku scrawled across the wood. It's base form is meant for finding the latitude and longitude of specific reiatsu signatures, usually of known Shinigami, but it should definitely be possible to change it to locating Quincy, right? Or Hollows? Or specific landmarks in the human world, even. If he can just calibrate--

"Kamiya."

Shion jerks their head up.

"I'm so sorry, Urahara-senpai," he says, immediately climbing to his feet and bowing. "I was caught up in my thoughts. Can I help you with something?"

"Kamiya, have you seen Hiyori?"

Shion tilts their head.

"Hiyori-senpai? Weren't you the one who sent her off to the..." They pause, mind still tangled in their own spell. "The ninth division. The one investigating the mysterious disappearances." Could they make the spell target specifically Visored? Or would that be too confusing. Or just classify Visored under general hollow and test to see if it works, and then redefine the parameters... maybe.

Urahara's face is dead white.

"Oh, was that what the alarms were about earlier? Well, I can 100% confirm she's not here, senpai. I keep track of everyone who enters and exits our division, after all." Shion looks at Urahara, mind finally kicking into gear. "Shouldn't you be in the captain's meeting?"

"I wanted to..." Urahara breaks off, shaking his head. "No, I believe you. If she's not here, there's nothing I can do."

"It's heartening you have so much faith in me," Shion says.

They pause.

"It was not wrong for you to have just as much faith in Hiyori-senpai," they add, voice deceptively idle. "Whether it was justified or not... her heart will fail her before her fists."

"Can you track her?" Urahara says, ignoring them completely. "Do you know where she is?"

Shion shakes his head, pointing at the scrubbed out sigils on the ground.

"The kido won't latch onto her signature," they say, reminded of their frustration all over again. "It's... it's there, for a second, and then it becomes unrecognizable, and the kido stops working. I'm considering how to recalibrate the spell, but I don't have any samples to work fro--"

Urahara's already started running towards the captain's meeting before they can even finish their sentence.

"Rude," Shion comments, sitting back down to scowl at the spell. "You're supposed to be setting an example for your juniors, Urahara-senpai..."

Not even two hours later, Shion is brutally thrust out of their concentration as a forbidden kido spell completely shatters their specific anti-teleportation barrier around the division.

Shion slowly looks up from his seat on the floor.

It's tempting to try and go find Urahara and Tessai and Hiyori and the other not yet Visored. They want to see the Hogyoku... this might be their only chance in their immortal life!

But unfortunately, they've got something more important to do.

Shion yawns, stumbling around his workbench to pick up a couple of items that it would probably be bad if a Central 46 investigative team found in his possession, and heads out into the still night air.

Even though he hasn't slept in over a day, the path to the fourth division is well worn into his mind, and his steps don't falter until he is, once again, knocking on Captain Unohana's door.

Silence.

Then..

"Shion Kamiya?"

The gentle inquiry of a woman's voice freezes Shion in his tracks, half asleep mind shocked awake.

"Ah--" he manages, still speaking through the closed door. "I'm so sorry for the late hour, Captain Unohana. And for disturbing you. I was intending..."

"To disturb my lieutenant?"

There's an idle humour, underneath the projection of paralyzing fear.

"Exactly, Captain. Has he finally resigned?"

A soft almost chuckle.

"And be perceived as running away from you?" The door slides open, revealing the fourth division captain in all her might. Long, long hair, braided in front of her robes. Smiling eyes permanently shut, sword permanently sheathed. The bloodiest blade of the Seireitei. "He would rather let a patient die."

"We can't have that," Shion says.

"And so, I won't be losing my lieutenant." Unohana steps into the hallway. "I am afraid I cannot keep you company, Shion-- I am on standby while we wait for the situation with the 9th division to be resolved. Are you not making your own preparations?"

Shion smiles at her.

"Sadly, my research is still waiting on the samples that Hiyori would have brought back with her-- though, when she returns, I doubt Urahara will let her out of his sight for even a moment."

"It is the way of things that a healer cannot work without the injured, and a researcher cannot begin without a subject," Unonaha agrees. "But perhaps the most absolute truth is that neither can work without sleep."

She finally steps out of the way of the doorway, giving Shion a clear sightline to where Seinosuke has fallen asleep at his captain's desk, ink stained fingers still curled protectively over his unsigned resignation form.

"Will you keep him company, Shion? In my place."

"He'll be unbearable when he wakes up."

Unohana smiles back at them.

"But I'll do it," Shion says immediately. "Perhaps by the time he wakes up, this whole thing will have been nothing but a bad dream."

Link: https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/indelible-stains-bleach-si-oc.103545/#post-23910162