Ichimaru Gin ran through vice-captains the way his comrades ran through hollows, the rumors say.
Ichimaru Gin's ex-vice-captains all ended up locked up and raving, the rumors say.
Ichimaru Gin is going to be the second captain in the history of the shinigami who goes without a deputy, the rumors say.
And the fourth division hears far too many rumors for anybody's liking.
Still, Kira tries not to pay much attention to them. Aizen recommended him for this seated position in the fourth, and he's happy here. Right? He should be happy here. He's serving under one of the kindest captains in the Gotei 13, after all. He could be stuck with Renji, fighting comrades daily and serving under the rule of a monster like Zaraki.
He should be happy, but he's not.
Because a small voice in the back of his mind—Wabisuke?—tells him that Hinamori is a vice-captain, and his skills are greater than hers. Because he knows that he detests being looked down on for being a member of the Gotei 13's weakest division.
And most of all, he's unhappy with himself for his inability to get the third division out of his mind. Left without a vice captain, for the third time in twice as many months. This is his chance. Indeed, it could be his only chance.
He silences this hungry, ambitious monster in the back of his mind. If they are looking for talent, they will find it in him. He will be called. He need not advertise himself, not appear too eager.
He doesn't even consider the captain himself until one day when his duties send him to the tenth division barracks. Kira finishes changing his target's bandages and heads out the way he came when voices stop him.
He shouldn't listen. He does anyway. He doesn't know whether identifying this as Hitsugaya-taichou's office makes him more or less eager to eavesdrop.
Undoubtedly the two voices are Hitsugaya and Matsumoto, his vice-captain, bickering about something. Not an unusual occurrence, but their tones tell Kira there's more to it than idle arguing.
"…temporary. Until something else works out. I know it isn't ideal, but I'm the only person who can do it."
"No. I'm not letting you go, Matsumoto. He'll—he's poisonous. I'm not losing a good soldier to the third division, especially not that man."
"He won't do it to me." Matsumoto's tone rises in frustration. "I know how to deal with him in ways that nobody else does!"
"We're done here," Hitsugaya says shortly. "You're not going. End of discussion."
There are footsteps, and Kira tenses, afraid of being discovered. Then the sound fades, and he slowly begins to relax again.
"Eavesdroppin's not a good habit."
Kira might have jumped five feet in the air. It takes all his effort not to scream as he wheels around, his heart pounding at an unhealthy rate. When he turns, though, it isn't Matsumoto or Hitsugaya there. No, it's a tall, almost skeletal-looking man wearing the garb of a captain and the smile of a fox.
Little does Kira know that this is only the first time his captain will sneak up on him to illicit such a reaction.
"Ichimaru-taichou!" Kira drops to his knees out of instinct. His heart isn't going to beat the same for days, he can already tell. How long has the man been standing there? What on earth is he doing in the tenth division barracks? "I'm sorry, sir!"
"I was just playin'." Kira's reaction earns a raised brow from the captain, who tilts his head and looks down at the kneeling figure. "Make me a hypocrite if I actually called you out on it."
"You mean…you were listening?" Kira almost can't believe he has the nerves to ask. But then again, rumors say that Matsumoto is the closest thing Ichimaru has to a friend. Perhaps it's just a normal visit. Perhaps…
Looking into the squinting slits of Ichimaru's eyes, Kira knows that there is nothing normal about this man.
"Hard not to. They're so cute when they squabble. But what interest is that of the fourth division? Just sneakin' around, hm? Bad habits. We'll have to punish you for that."
Ichimaru shakes his head and clicks his tongue, and the next thing Kira knows, the captain has his arm in a vise-like grip and is pulling him easily toward the door. Kira scrambles to his feet and resists pointing out that Ichimaru is equally guilty of sneaking around. He doesn't have much of a chance, anyway, because the next thing he knows, Ichimaru throws open the door to Hitsugaya's office, and breezes in as if owning the place.
"Afternoon, Hitsugaya-taichou," Ichimaru says casually, releasing Kira's arm. "Look what I found!"
Hitsugaya looks up from his papers warily. Probably he's wondering how Ichimaru appeared just after his and Matsumoto's conversation about the man. What was that saying from the mortal world…?
Ah. It comes to Kira. Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear.
"What do you want, Ichimaru? Matsumoto's in the other office."
"You're so cold." Ichimaru perches himself on the desk. He has seemingly forgotten Kira, who stands awkwardly in the middle of the floor, wondering if he should run now. "Suits you, but still. You'll hurt my feelin's."
Hitsugaya visibly sighs, and then his eyes seem to notice Kira. "What are you doing here? Who are you?"
Kira glances pointlessly at the badge on his arm and then begins to stutter out excuses. "I was just on my way—I had to heal—"
"He's my new vice," Ichimaru says breezily.
If he had been holding anything, it would be on the floor right now. Kira is sure he can feel his heart beating. It hasn't slowed down much since Ichimaru first startled him in the hall. This is a joke…right? Just poisonous words, like Hitsugaya said, just a trick, just something else…
He's dreamed about it, in both senses of the word. He's longed for this. He's wanted it, and not let himself properly want it. And now it's there, dangled tantalizingly right in front of his nose.
"Eh? Since when?" Hitsugaya also looks surprised by the information, but nowhere near as shocked as Kira feels.
"Since…recently."Ichimaru's grin widens, and he slides off the desk as abruptly as he mounted it. "Come on, fukutaichou."
"Ah…I…right away, Ichimaru-taichou!" Kira has no idea what he's doing, and it feels wrong to accept a title he doesn't really have, but he follows anyway.
Just like he always will.
Back in the office, Hitsugaya leans back and scratches his head, staring at the open doorway. Matsumoto wanders in, eating something.
"Was someone in here?"
"Something like that," Hitsugaya mutters, and then looks back down at papers. They, at least, make a hell of a lot more sense than the man that just left.
It turns out that this is not simply a cruel joke—or, if it is, it's quite an elaborate one. Kira has no idea where Ichimaru got the idea of promoting him, of all people, and is quick to ask questions when he and the third division's captain are out of the tenth division barracks.
"Ichimaru-taichou, I don't understand. Why did you say I was-?"
"I notice you accepted the title just fine," Ichimaru drawls, not bothering to look over his shoulder at Kira. "So there's no problem, is there?"
"I—you don't even know me!" Kira has no idea why he's ended up being the one to protest. Maybe because this all feels so cheap. Maybe because it still feels like a joke, like he's standing on a carpet that will be pulled from under his feet at any second.
"Ya questionin' my judgment there?" Ichimaru's tone doesn't change, but suddenly Kira feels as if he's walked into a trap.
"Of course not, Ichimaru-taichou! I—"
"Any judge of spiritual pressure can tell yours is at the right level." Ichimaru shrugs and comes to an abrupt halt, leaning back against the stone wall. "So quit protestin'. It's a done deal."
Kira opens and closes his mouth several more times before he decides, wisely, to just shut up.
"I'll go talk to yer captain for ya," Ichimaru says, straightening again and heading away from Kira, who stands still. "Bye bye." His long, thin fingers linger in a mocking wave, and Kira can't help but stare at them.
Unohana is unusually serious when she calls Kira to her office later that day. Usually she greets visitors with a gentle smile and calm words. She attempts the smile when Kira enters, but it doesn't meet the worry in her eyes.
"Kira-kun," she says, indicating with one hand the seat in front of her desk. Kira takes the hint and seats himself. "I have some news for you."
Kira waits, pretending he doesn't know what the news is.
Unohana sighs. "Ichimaru-taichou was just here."
"He was?"
"I don't know whether you know this, but the third division is in need of a vice captain at the moment." Unohana speaks softly, easily, and the stark contrast between how comfortable he feels in her company and how uneasy he feels in Ichimaru's comes to Kira's mind.
"I did know, actually," Kira says, and then wishes he hadn't. It makes him seem too eager, like he thinks he is deserving of what is coming.
"Ichimaru-taichou seems to think that you are the second-in-command he desires," Unohana concludes, folding her hands in her lap.
"I see," says Kira blankly, unsure of what else he should say. He can't feign surprise because he still is surprised—it's just that the initial shock came earlier than Unohana might think. "I…I suppose I'll have to move out, then."
"Kira-kun, please listen to me." Unohana leans forward slightly, her mouth curving downward. "I know you haven't been the happiest here. Your skills truly are worthy of the vice-captaincy. But I don't know that this promotion is the best for you."
"What do you mean?" They're venturing into new territory now, and Kira is relieved to no longer have to pretend not to know what Unohana is going to say.
"Ichimaru-taichou is…" Unohana hesitates, something almost akin to a grimace crossing her face. "He is a difficult person."
"I hear that most of the captains are, other than you, Unohana-taichou," Kira says before he can stop himself. He's relieved to see a smile spreading over her face.
"Perhaps that's true. But even so, few captains have gone through as many vice-captains as Ichimaru-taichou. I don't want you to be next, Kira-kun. It's hard to explain until you've spent much time with him, but he…he has poison in him."
"I see," says Kira, and he thinks he does. He doesn't, but he thinks he does. "Thank you for telling me this, Unohana-taichou. But I can't turn down such a generous offer."
She smiles and inclines her head, though her eyes retain that worry. "I expected as much. Very well, Kira-kun. It saddens me to see one as skilled as you leave us, but I know you'll do well elsewhere. Good luck."
"Thank you," Kira says again, not knowing what else to say.
His first day at his new post dawns hazy and confused. He awakes in the fourth division barracks and doesn't know where he is at first. Kira meant to move his things to the third division the previous night, but circumstances, mainly his friends, made him unable. Gossip spread quickly, and when Renji and Hinamori heard of his promotion, they were at his door and insistent that he come drinking with them.
In the morning, it seems an idiotic decision, especially when he realizes what time it is. He abandons his belongings—he can pick them up later—and he haphazardly ties Wabisuke to his belt as he sprints through his barracks and then out again, praying that he won't be dismissed in his first hour as a vice-captain.
The other shinigami, fourth and third divisions alike, stare at him as he runs through the halls. He realizes he doesn't actually know where Ichimaru's office is, doubles back, and demands the knowledge from a terrified-looking third division member.
"I'm so sorry I'm late, Ichimaru-taichou!" Kira throws open the office door and drops to his knees, looking around at the room in front of him.
It's not all that different from Unohana's office, in layout, at least. Ichimaru has no decorations anywhere, and the whole place has a vaguely abandoned feel to it, as if its occupant has sucked the life out.
Kira should take it as an omen, but he doesn't.
Ichimaru is sitting at his desk, staring idly out a window, not appearing to be doing much of anything. He looks around slowly and blinks, as if just realizing Kira is there.
"Ah. Mornin'…mornin'…what's yer name again?"
It feels like a punch to the gut. Kira supposes it would be too much to expect Ichimaru to remember him from the first time they met, all those years ago in the Academy, but at least the man should know the name of his vice-captain.
"Kira, sir!" He says quickly, trying not to sound as disappointed as he feels.
"Kira, eh?" Ichimaru has left his desk and is sweeping around to extend a hand. Rather than help Kira up, however, he simply beckons for his new vice-captain to rise. "I'll just call you Izuru."
Kira can't describe the emotions he feels then, something like relief and admiration and adoration all rolled into one as he observes this man, this tall, thin man, with his omnipresent smile and his ever-closed eyes.
So Ichimaru did care enough to find out his name. Or to make the effort to remember. Kira is so exhilarated that he doesn't notice the informality with which his captain addresses him.
"Are you excited?" Ichimaru asks, and Kira doesn't need to be asked twice.
"Yes, sir!"
A long, long time later, on a cold day when the windows are all thrown open and vice-captain and captain sit together in one office, Kira dares to ask why Ichimaru chose him.
There's a pause, as usual, and then the slow smirk, and finally Ichimaru speaks.
"You just looked so pretty on yer knees, Izuru-chan…"
Ichimaru Gin has corrupted his vice-captain, the rumors say, though they don't ever specify quite how.