It was that time of the day where the sun was supposed to be up and casting its radiant beams down at the rooftops and trees. But instead, dark clouds covered the sky, and cast down heavy rainfall to the ground.
"Scumbag weather." Kensei grumbled as he turned away from the opened door. "Good thing there's this warehouse nearby." The silver-haired man walked up to a corner and sat down on the floor, leaning his damp back on the wall. "Or else we'll have to report to work soaked in rain." He crossed his arms and turned his head at the tattooed male standing by the doorway.
"Yeah." Hisagi looked at the other man and nodded, then returned his gaze back on the hazy environment just beyond the door. "Looks like this rain won't stop anytime soon."
A sudden gust of cold wind made its way through the door, making the soaked raven-haired shudder and sneeze.
"Oi, get inside, kid." Kensei commanded at his subordinate who he thought looks like a soggy puppy right now.
"A-Ah, yes sir." Hisagi nodded and paced on the wooden floor, heading to that corner where his captain sat. He stopped on his tracks when the latter tossed a piece of cloth right at his face. Removing the fabric on his face, he noticed the kanji 'kyuu' on it. "Taichou your haori—"
"Don't worry about me." Kensei interrupted. "If you'll get sick, who else is gonna help me run things in Ninth Division?" Well, there's still his former subordinate who's always dropping by his office. However, unlike Mashiro, Hisagi manages to do more than her. And just thinking about taking over Hisagi's work is already stressing him out.
The dark-haired male placed the haori over his shoulders and quietly sat down a few meters next to his captain.
"Heh. Well, what do you know? That looks good on you." Kensei said, slightly glancing at his subordinate next to him.
"Huh?" Hisagi asked, looking a bit confused at what Kensei just said.
"That haori – It looks good on you." The Visored grunted.
Hisagi looked at the other man, dumbstruck at the compliment he received. Those words rang in his ears over and over again. He squealed internally. For him, it was a very big honor that his captain – his hero, would give him a simple compliment like that.
"You think so?" Hisagi's face lit up as he turned looked at his idol, then let out a rather awkward chuckle, having a mix of feeling embarrassed and flattered at the same time. "But, I don't think I'm gonna be a captain who's as good as you, Muguruma-taichou!" He chuckled again while rubbing the back of his head.
"No shit." Kensei shifted his gaze from Hisagi who he thought looked like a child who received a candy, to the space before him, with nothing but the dim light coming from the opened door. "You managed to keep the whole division together without a captain. I think you'll do well, if you just stop goofing off." He said, with an emphasizing the goofing off part as he returned his gaze on Hisagi, albeit this time, a stern gaze.
The Visored resisted the urge to speak ill of the former Ninth Division captain in front of Hisagi. He heard from others, like Seventh Division captain, Komamura how Hisagi admired and respected Tousen. It was also evident on the young shinigami's behavior – the way he fights, his usual visits to the former's grave, and how he used to talk about the former captain.
Upon seeing that stern look on his captain, Hisagi smiled sheepishly and sweatdropped.
"...Y-Yeah..." The younger male slowly looked away embarrassed, and hugged his knees. He's well-aware that he can be a goofball sometimes evident when his superior yells at him over his stupid acts.
Then, there was silence – nothing but the rhythm of the falling rain on the rooftop. Hisagi let his eyes trail on the small, empty old warehouse. There was nothing here but dusty shelves with several rotting boxes piled up in rows. There wasn't even anything in sight that seemed useful right now.
Minutes passed, and the rain still poured down ceaselessly. A soft sigh made its way out of the raven-haired's lips as he recalled how the sun was up and bright just this early morning, while he and his captain were sparring in an isolated place in Soul Society. They were on their way to the barracks when he felt a drop from the sky brushed his face. Looking up, he saw the sky loom and it rained down on them. They were lucky enough to find this abandoned shabby warehouse on the way.
Kensei's brow furrowed, and his eye twitched. This awkward long silence was starting to tick him off. Unlike Shinji and Rose who got easily accustomed to their new lieutenants on a personal basis after just a short amount of time, Kensei's didn't. His relationship with his new lieutenant maintained on a professional level only, even if they have been working together for more than a month. Though, the first time he saw this young man, and that tattoo on his face, he instantly figured that Hisagi was someone who greatly looked up to him.
Hisagi on the other hand, had been debating on himself what to say to the other. Ever since he got reunited with his savior, he had been itching to say a lot of things to him. But of course, he couldn't just casually talk to his captain like that. He would just appear like a die-hard fan that would most likely piss off Kensei.
"Anoo..." Hisagi started, glancing at the man next to him. "Taichou, about that report you asked me to do..."
"Shuuhei." Kensei spoke, keeping his sight ahead of him. "This isn't the time or place to talk about work." He paused, then sighed. " Jeez, you should loosen up a bit, kid. You're working way too much." He said, as he ran a hand on his silver locks that slightly dried up after getting wet from the rain.
"...Y-Yes, sir. My apologies." The younger stammered and looked down on the floor.
"What are you apologizing for?" The Visored raised a brow as he faced his subordinate, then looked away again. "—Whatever."
Another long, awkward silence, and it was ticking Kensei more. He thought that maybe he should have let the boy talk about that report. At least that would have lessened the boredom... and awkwardness. Then again, he should probably come up with some sort of topic instead.
The Visored took a glance at Hisagi through his peripheral vision. The tattooed shinigami was holding on to that haori while gazing at the distance. Kensei thought that Hisagi's probably thinking of something to talk about that isn't work-related if he's not sulking over what Kensei just said to him.
"Muguruma-taichou." Hisagi started again, tugging the captain's haori.
"What is it?" Kensei asked, still looking at the other through his peripheral vision.
"...Will this rain ever stop?" Upon hearing Hisagi's question, the silver-haired man turned his head to look at the other.
"Of course it will, baka." Kensei retorted. "No matter how long it's gonna rain – hours, days, months, even years, it will stop." The Ninth Division captain sighed and inclined his head to the side. "What, you worried about work?"
Hisagi turned his head a little to the side to answer his captain's question. "Uh... Yeah... Kinda."
That response just made the Visored grit his teeth. They're off duty, and his subordinate's still thinking about work. He internally raged at how his lieutenant was being so stuck up with work. He appreciates Hisagi's hardworking and responsible nature, but he's just being too workaholic. How he wanted to punch Hisagi in the face right now, but he held back. Instead, he leaned close to the young man, stretched out his arm and flicked the raven-haired's forehead.
"Yeowch!" Hisagi exclaimed and rubbed his reddish forehead.
"Baka! Can't you get work out of your head for once?! You're a hardworking and responsible lieutenant, and I appreciate that, but you need to take a little break from all the work, kid." Kensei huffed and leaned his back on the wall again, then set his eyes on the door. The rain was still pouring non-stop, and it would be impossible for someone to go out and look for them in this kind of weather.
"—Sorry.." Hisagi spoke in a low voice. Glancing at his captain, he noticed a slight look of concern on Kensei's face. Kensei, noticing the young man looking at him as if he wanted to say something, tossed a glare at the other.
"What?" Seriously. Another stupid question or comment, and he's gonna punch the lights out of his subordinate.
"A-Ah..." Hisagi diverted his gaze, intimidated by that threatening glare. He knew for sure that his superior was getting tired of his bullshit talking. But still, he tried to put up some courage to look back and speak to the other.
"...Aren't you worried, taichou?"
Kensei's eye twitched and he raised a brow at Hisagi's question. "Huh?!"
The tattooed shinigami yelped and looked away, unsure if he just hit a nerve on his captain. "I-I-It's nothing! F-Forget I asked, taichou!"
The Visored deadpanned and sighed. Sometimes, his subordinate can be an annoying, fumbling idiot. Well, at least he gets his work done.
"Sheesh. I don't know if you're just thickheaded, or bored." Kensei folded his arms across his chest. "I guess I am a little worried."
Hearing his captain answer his question, Hisagi looked back at Kensei, and blinked twice.
"What's with that dumb look?!" Kensei retorted and glared at his subordinate once more.
"N-Nothing...! Nothing..." Hisagi lowered his head, but still kept his gaze on his captain.
"'Course I'll be worried, even just a little. I'm not some kind of sick superior officer who wouldn't feel bad leaving my division unmanned—" Kensei paused when he saw how Hisagi shifted his gaze. He just realized that he indirectly said something that brought up memories of the former Ninth Division captain. Great. He just ruined the conversation.
"—Sorry." Kensei spoke under his breath.
"No," The raven-haired shook his head. "...it's alright, taichou." Hisagi looked at Kensei with a soft smile, reassuring his captain that he's really fine. "At least I know for sure that you won't leave us. I-I... I'm not saying that I was doubting you, or anything! It's actually evident in your actions that you value our division and everyone in it so much, and how dedicated you are with your work, and—"
"Oi." Kensei interrupted.
"I-! I wasn't stalking you, o-or watching you, or something like that, taichou! A-Anoo... sorry for talking too much – I'll shut up now." With that blank expression on Kensei's face and that monotonous tone in his voice, Hisagi wasn't sure if he was making Kensei feel uncomfortable or maybe even feel annoyed, so he decided to just keep quiet. He looked away and internally cursed at himself for his ridiculous act.
The Visored sighed over his subordinate's stupid actions and unhesitant babbling. Though deep inside, he felt a sense of gratification over his foolish lieutenant's honesty and faith in him, even if the lieutenant himself was acting like a total idiot. If there would be a shred of doubt in Hisagi or in other division members about him, he can't blame them. After all, their former superior officer betrayed them.
"Shuuhei." Kensei called, keeping that deadpanned look and monotonous tone.
"Y-Yes...?" Hisagi slowly turned his head to face his captain. He was feeling a bit nervous that his captain might yell at him or beat him up for being annoying... and a creeper, even if he's really not a creeper.
Then, there was a short pause before Kensei opened his mouth to speak.
"—Thanks." The Visored immediately looked away. He didn't want to see that dumb face of his lieutenant for thanking him. Meanwhile, Hisagi blinked. Once. Twice. As he looked at Kensei with a stupefied look on his face.
"...For what, taichou...?" Hisagi asked, unsure why the older shinigami thanked him.
Ticked by his subordinate's question, Kensei faced the younger shinigami and placed his hand over the other's dark hair. Hisagi yelped at that powerful grip to his head. The force of Kensei's hand almost made the lieutenant kiss the floor, and he could feel as if the Visored was gripping his head tightly like it was about to break his skull.
"BAKA!" The silver-haired male roared. "Are you that fuckin' dense!? You just showed how much faith you put in me, you numbskull! And I fuckin' appreciate that!"
"Eep! Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes, sir...! I-I-I-I-I understand...!"
After Hisagi spoke, Kensei let go of the younger's head, almost slamming it to the wooden boards. Then, he resumed to his former position, and looking away at the other. The raven-haired groaned in pain and placed both hands on his head. Another minute there, and his captain could have cracked his skull. He too, resumed to his previous form, while rubbing his temples.
Minutes passed, and the loud tapping on the rooftop ceased. The once dim light that made its way inside the building shone brighter. And the hazy view has already cleared up.
"Kid, we're leaving. Better start movi—" Kensei's talking came to a halt when he felt something brush on his bare shoulder. Looking to his side, he caught sight of a dark tuff of hair on his shoulder, and his lieutenant peacefully sleeping.
"Tsk." The silver-haired man rubbed the back of his head. He thought that the younger male was exhausted from their spar this morning. He also recalled how the raven-haired has been working overtime for the past few days. But those aren't excuses for the lieutenant to skip work and sleep all day.
"Hey, wake up or I'll leave you behind." Kensei said, giving a light tap on his lieutenant's shoulder. Hisagi, then slowly opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times.
"Are you just gonna stay there and sleep all day?" Kensei grumbled, glaring down at Hisagi. Hearing his captain's voice just right next to him, Hisagi looked up and found himself too close to his captain.
"UWAH!" Hisagi exclaimed. Startled, he immediately moved away, almost stumbling. "I'm sorry I fell asleep, taicho—"
"Quit your blabbering and move your butt!" Kensei commanded and stood up, walking up towards the door.
"Yes, Muguruma-taichou! Right away!" Hisagi stood up upon Kensei's order and trailed behind his captain.
"Muguruma-taichou!" Hisagi, who was lagging behind called up to the other.
"Hurry up or I'll—" Kensei suddenly found himself looking down at a neatly folded piece of white cloth.
"—T-Thank you, Muguruma-taichou." Hisagi said, arms stretched as he presented the captain's haori to its owner. Kensei set his eyes on the haori, then trailed them over to Hisagi, and back at his haori again.
"Tch." Without any other word, his gloved hand reached for the cloth, unfolded it and putting it on. Then, he looked at his subordinate who stood by his side.
"Make sure you'll have a lot of rest when you get home. I don't want to see you dozing off during work hours. And no drinking or partying tonight! If I find you in one of those bars, I'll beat you up and drag your sorry ass back to the barracks, understand?!"
"Yes, Muguruma-taichou. I will." Hisagi replied with an eager nod.
"Good." Kensei said, as he turned towards the road up ahead. "Let's get going. Mashiro's probably crying over us now."