ShunUki Week '26 is a seven-day long celebration of the fan favorite Gotei pairing of - you guessed it! Kyoraku Shunsui & Ukitake Jushiro. Hosted by the Senkaimon Discord Server; Tumblr extension run by G-P (@foriamproud).
It is a joy and an honor to share this event with the Tumblr community!
~~Senkaimon Discord Server ⚔️
Note: Previous weeks were hosted exclusively on Discord. This is our 4th summer hosting the event on multiple platforms, so please feel free to send us feedback of the experience.
Not strictly following the prompt but kind of how they melted each other's fears.
Ooc, based on canon event.
Entry number…whatever
Continuing on with writing down my experiences as Yama-jii suggested. He's hoping I'll open up or something. I just don't care.
Today was actually interesting. I got teamed up with this other guy, a pretty boy by the way. Yama-jii said he's very strong and needed a strong opponent. Guess that's me.
He fights pretty well. And yeah he's strong, I could feel it.
At first I didn't feel anything inside, I'm just blank. The old man says I've built a wall around my feelings, sealing myself off from hurt. Maybe that's true.
We were fighting, it actually felt good to go up against someone at my level, kami I hate being so strong sometimes.
…and then he coughed, he actually coughed up blood on me, yet kept fighting. Amazing.
Later we were talking, he apologized profusely, I naturally brushed it off, “You get bloody in battle, it's simple fact, no big deal.” And he smiled
I think the sun exploded.
Whatever that metaphorical barrier I supposedly had, no longer existed. I felt it crash. That smile was brightness in my dark world. I never realized I was so closed off.
And then he touched me. The gentleness, the compassion. I felt it all. I have to relearn living.
I'm questioning everything.
…I…I think I'm in love.
____________________
Day 10 of new session.
I met him today.
Sensei said he was going to match me up with someone who was strong. I had no idea it would be him. I'm glad it was.
He's so strong, but seems so closed off. I'm not sure why.
Anyway, we battled for a while. I could hear the observers in the room say how well matched we were. It felt really good to not have to hold back.
Then it happened, I felt the cough start, there's no stopping or telling when it's going to happen.
It hit him in the face. He didn't flinch. Was he so immune to bad things happening? I kind of feel bad for him. He felt kind of lonely.
We spoke later…I guess I wasn't as stealthily as I thought I was. I confessed to watching him and he said he knew. It was embarrassing but he just brushed everything off. So naturally I smiled at him…..
It was like something flipped in him. He seemed to suddenly feel lighter spirit wise. Is that possible?
I reached out to brush away a stray, remaining drop of blood. He didn't pull away.
Oh gods…he didn't run away from me. He knew I was sick and he allowed the touch. Someone other than family didn't flinch away from my touch.
He's actually warm and caring, a gentle soul that's surrounded by steel.
I'm feeling things I'm not sure how to process.
I'm actually the one who feels so alone until now. He's like a warm fuzzy blanket that surrounds you in protection.
They promised to always meet on their anniversary, despite being married a long time.
Years after a sacrifice they kept that promise and watched the stars.
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Day 7: Fireflies / Stargazing
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There was an eerie stillness surrounding Squad thirteen. No more clamoring subordinates, no more body wracking cough.
Each year he returned here he noticed how unearthly quiet it had gotten.
The change in the being inside was stunning. Gone was the distinct silver tresses, now replaced with silken black, that flowed several feet behind him like a fine cloth.
The horns and chains were new for him also. Well new as in something he had never had before.
“Oh! You did make it.” The voice was low, lulling.
“Told you I always would.” This different look to his lover always shocked him a little. “Hey there handsome.”
“You always say that. “
“Because it's always true.” Shunsui Kyoraku sat down and crossed his legs. “I brought my offering to the most gorgeous god ever.”
The changed Jushiro Ukitake joined him on the floor. “You know that's not needed.”
Shunsui made a bit of a rude noise, “I have always worshipped the most perfect being.” This made Jushiro blush.
Looking around the room, “I'm surprised this building still exists.”
“Your squad takes very good care of it. It's a revered place.” Shunsui set out the treat. “I brought ohagi this time, I figured it's been a little while.”
Jushiro let out a weary sigh, “How long has it been?”
“Mearly a blink.” Kyoraku chose his usual style of a flippant answer.
Jushiro kicked him over, “The truth, not your sly answers.”
“Over fifty years, love.” They had promised to always meet for their anniversary.
“So long!” There was a hint of wistfulness to his voice. “Now I understand why you have gray in your hair.” He threaded an elongated finger through the curls. “I like it. It's very sexy.”
“Lisa said the same…” A hand slapped over his mouth, as Jushiro did not want to hear more.
“Did she?” There was a hint of lingering jealousy in that reply.
“It's not like that.” Kyoraku flipped his wrist back and forth. “You know how it is with her.”
“I remember.” Jushiro pushed up from the floor, his hair trailing after him. The porch on his quarters remained the same, and generations older koi swam in the pond. “I miss this place.”
“Me too.” Said Shunsui as he strolled up behind Jushiro and wound his arms about the trim waist.
They stayed like that for a long time, just watching the stars. “How many passages of those same stars did we watch from this same place?” Shunsui crooned against the pale neck. “Let's go back inside, I plan to worship a perfect being.”
“Sly way of saying you want to make love, but you always were poetic.”
“I want you to return to that place with my marks all over you, I even have the special ink and brush to write sutras on your back.”
“You're awful.” That familiar playful twinkle shone in those startling green eyes.
By morning's first light, the building was empty. It was as if ghosts had visited overnight.
After the Quincy destruction, it's decided that returning to celebrations was due. It was to bring a sense of normalcy to Soul Society
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Celebrate.
In the weeks that followed the Quincy defeat, Central Forty-six in their infinite wisdom decided that all celebrations be postponed until there was more stability.
The merchants, who depended on income from these celebrations did not like this decision so they formed a committee and took their grievance to the new Captain-commander, who was said to be more reasonable to the common people than the former leader. This was of course a true statement.
Captain-commander Shunsui Kyoraku felt that allowing people to still hold their celebrations was good for morale, gathered what was left of the Gotei-13 squad members, most of whom agreed that a postponement of vital celebrations was a pointless rule.
The people needed hope, they needed lightness.
A delegation of six Captains, four lieutenants and seven powerful merchants invaded Central forty-six's chamber. It did not go well for the council. After the committee pushed, prodded and provoked, they ended up rescinding the decree.
There were several Matsuri celebrations around this time. But not all could be observed, so they all settled on the floating lanterns which were said to guide the spirits of the dead. It seemed the most fitting given what had just happened.
Although he wasn't really a religious man, even Shunsui was set to participate , although he settled on a location outside of the Seriteitai. He traveled to Jushiro Ukitake's home. He knew the family well.
There were many tears as the lanterns were set into the water. Some had private messages inside.
His was one of those.
[“My Dearest Ju-chan. I'll love you beyond eternity. My heart is with you always.”]
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and Jushiro's father held his gaze. “Thank you for loving our son. We always worried that with his illness he'd go through life alone.”
Several more lanterns appeared…Sentaro, Kiyone, Rukia, Renji and even Byakuya. “He was never alone.” Byakuya Kuchiki spoke. “Many of us respected him greatly.”
Shunsui remained by the water's edge, just watching all the lanterns. “Until you're guided back to me, may these lights guide you to peace.”
So I recently had the privilege of watching the original Japanese version of Grave of Fireflies in theaters for Ghibli Week, and gosh my heart is shattered.
As an entomologist, there is very much a crisis in North America regarding our native lightning bug populations, but there is always hope.
This is nowhere near as damning as Grave of Fireflies, but I wanted to reflect on one of my favorite scenes in my own flair.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Juushiro wrapped his arms tightly around Shunsui. Wars were coming to Soul Society with a troubling frequency, and his husband wasn't ready to be the Captain Commander. "Even if something happens to one of us here, we'll find each other again. We always do, and we always will."
Shunsui's shoulders shook with a small sound that could have been a chuckle or a sob. "You're always so sure, Handsome... How do you do it?"
"I've seen the paths of my soul. They're so intertwined with yours that I couldn't lose you if I tried." Juushiro smiled, leaning back enough to look Shunsui in the eyes. "Lucky for you, I never want to."
A drunk Shunsui is some who's able to get multiple people in trouble.
Skinny dipping in the Kuchiki koi pond seemed like a good idea to a bunch of drunken young men. Until security showed up
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(day 2 finally decided to cooperate)
It didn't take a lot of drinking for Shunsui Kyoraku to get bad, awesome ideas.
A small gathering of third year students had gotten approval to have a late night picnic.
It was hot in the dorm rooms, so the security team had agreed to the outing as long as they followed some rules. One: no excess noise. Two: keep drinking to a minimum. Three: no bothering others.
They all agreed.
One noise warning was issued as someone ďecided to sing at full volume.
“Hey I've got an idea.” Kyoraku started out. A few groaned, knowing that chaos was going to follow that statement, but drunk enough on cheap wine to be willing to do whatever came next. “Let's go swimming.”
Jushiro being the usual voice of reason piped up, “The only place close enough is the Kuchiki koi pond, and that's strictly off limits.”
“I happen to know the guard's rotation cycle.”
“This is a really bad idea.” Jushiro warned.
“You say everything is a bad idea...but you're coming anyway, right?” Shunsui had just issued a challenge he knew Jushiro couldn't turn down.
After some grumbling, Ukitake finally agreed, “If we get into trouble, I'm not speaking to you nor anything else for a month.” Giggling was heard from the others as that statement nearly confirmed the rumors going around the academy about the two of them being in a relationship.
They all tiptoed like some kind of drunken ninja, pretending they were being stealthy. At the estate wall, one young man boosted Shunsui up so he could peer over to see if the coast was clear. The security squad was just leaving the area. They helped each other scale the high wall and stood gazing at the inviting pond.
“Do the fish bite?” One asked.
“They're koi, I doubt it.” Another answered.
“We didn't bring anything to swim in.” Was another observation.
With a chuckle, Shunsui began to disrobe, “That's easy enough to solve.” He strolled into the shallow end. ”Co'mon Ju-chan, it's fine.”
Jushiro was always a little reluctant to show his body off. His bouts of illness made him look emaciated. Shunsui held out his hand and gently coaxed him into the water.
Not caring about the rumors it would cause Shunsui refused to let go and actually held him close. Jushiro blushed but Shunsui was whispering sweet things in his ear.
They miscalculated how long they were in the water and also their volume levels. Security was soon there, chasing a bunch of naked young men around the prestigious Kuchiki estate. Security was very efficient and they were rounded up and stood before a very angry Ginrei Kuchiki.
Most punishment details were fair and considered easy; they had to work at various jobs in estate maintenance on two months of weekends.
Shunsui bore the brunt of the punishment as the instigator. He was banished from stepping foot inside for ten years.
