Shinigami in Training

by Nutmeg615

Their mission to defeat hollows turned into a more personalized lesson when Kensei makes Shuuhei and Kotone stay behind to practice more... There's more to them than co-workers. Will they complete their mission and be better Shinigami? ShuuheiXOC

I couldn't concentrate. How was I supposed to with him watching me? He made me nervous. I wanted him to think... I wanted him to see how good of a shinigami I was. No. That's not right either. I wanted Shuuhei Hisagi, Vice-Captain of the Ninth Division, to look at me and see me; a pretty - if not beautiful - brunette with chocolate colored eyes and a nice smile. There was more to me than my physical features, but I needed him to notice me before I could show him my "inner beauty."

I was so distracted that I didn't see the attack before it was too late. There was nothing I could do to stop it. I closed my eyes and started to prepare myself for the worst. I was sad that Shuuhei would never see me. Then I was mad that I let myself get distracted. It was too late. There was nothing I could do. I cowered, hoping to miss most of the hollow's attack.

Surprisingly, it never came. Instead, I heard a voice above me.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Cautiously, I opened my eyes, and there he was. The barrier behind him had stopped the hollow's attack, but the hollow still screamed.

"What were you thinking, Kotone?" he asked, not pleased with me.

He said my name. I didn't know that he knew my name. My mouth went dry and I couldn't answer him. I couldn't tell him I was distracted because I was thinking of him.

"Stay down," Shuuhei instructed. The hollow pushed against his barrier, and I watched the rod fly from Shuuhei's hand. It was not his zanpakuto. It was a rod of kido that would separate and attack the hollow.

I could only watch as Shuuhei defeated the hollow within a couple minutes. He flash-stepped back to where I stood, sheathing his zanpakuto. He hadn't released his shikai and yet he managed to defeat a hollow without it.

"What..." he began.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Captain Muguruma asked as he came to join us. "Use your zanpakuto more; Not just all that kido stuff."

"All that kido stuff works, and I used my zanpakuto to cut the mask."

"That's not what I'm talking about. Release your shikai."

This was a command, and Shuuhei knew it as much as I did. He still hesitated. "Reap, Kazeshini." The katana in his hand glowed and transformed to the spiked rods and scythes that made up his shikai. "It looks like it's meant to reap life."

"I'm not going to argue with you about that, kid," Captain Muguruma stated. "We are soul reapers. That's our job. Your zanpakuto reflects that."

"But..."

"Use your shikai. It's not beneficial to keep it sealed."

"Kensei!" Mashiro, our other vice captain ran up to us. I was beginning to feel like I shouldn't be here; surrounded by the top three people of the Ninth Division. "Oh! Kokone."

"Kotone," Shuuhei corrected.

Captain Muguruma looked at me. "You're next on my list." He looked between me and Shuuhei for a moment. "Actually, this might work better. The two of you will stay here and fight hollows together. You'll use your shikai, and Kokote..."

"Kotone," Shuuhei said again.

"Yeah." Our captain looked at me. "You'll tell me if he uses his shikai, and he'll tell me if you let a hollow try to defeat you again."

I nodded, unable to reply.

"But Captain Muguruma, I have..."

"Stay here. That's an order, kid."

Shuuhei nodded.

"There are no more hollows here, Kensei. We've killed them all," Mashiro said as she looked around.

"More will come, and these two will take care of them."

...

We walked into the safe house.

"I love being in the real world. The people are so interesting," I smiled as I watched a young mother and her child outside our window.

"This from a girl who almost got defeated by a hollow."

"I know how to defend myself."

"Is that what you were doing? It looked to me like you had given up." Shuuhei looked at me. "What happened?"

"I was momentarily distracted."

"By what? We were fighting hollows."

"We should go get some groceries," I told him, changing the subject. "We're here for two weeks."

"So some time in the next two weeks, you'll tell me why you gave up."

"It's not that I gave up."

"Then what distracted you?" he asked quietly.

"You." I looked at him and quickly added, "And Vice Captain Mashiro and Captain Muguruma."

"I see." He nodded. "You were nervous."

"Yes," I admitted. "Then I was mad at myself for not paying attention. Then you stepped in."

"Lucky for both of us that I did." He looked through the cabinets and the fridge in the kitchen. "Should we make a list?"

"Probably. Just so we don't forget anything."

"Any food you don't like to eat?"

"Sea urchin." He glared at me and I began to feel nervous. "What? I don't like the texture or the taste of it. Please tell me it's not your favorite food."

Shuuhei grinned at me. "Actually, it's one of the few things I won't eat."

"Oh," I smiled. "Other than that, I'll eat almost anything."

We sat at the table and made a list of groceries.

"Can we... I mean, can I get a sketchpad?"

"I don't see why not. We can get whatever we need within reason."

"Would that include a good sketching pencil and maybe colored pencils?"

"Are you going to draw anything I can use in Seireitei Communications?

I shrugged. "Depends on what I draw. Why?"

"I can justify buying it if we're using it for work and not just for doodling."

"There's nothing wrong with doodling."

"I'll get what you want with the stipulation that you have to draw something I can publish."

"Deal."

"Well then, let's go shopping."

"Dressed in our uniforms?"

"Right." Shuuhei altered his reiatsu so his uniform looked like jeans and a short sleeve shirt. Following his lead, I changed my uniform into a flirty dress. "I didn't realize we were going for fancy," he commented.

"I don't get to wear a lot of dresses in Seireitei," I shrugged. Besides, I wanted to look nice for him.

...

"I think the next one is yours."

Shuuhei smiled as we walked back into the safe house. "You're doing so much better. You don't cower anymore."

I laughed. "I have to report to Captain Muguruma that you're using your shikai."

"Maybe we'll just tell him there weren't many hollows to defeat."

"I'm not lying to our captain."

"Since you defeated that one on your own, I'll fix us something to eat."

I watched him walk into the kitchen. "I think you just want to cook."

"Maybe I like to cook as much as you like to draw." He looked at me. "Will you show me one?"

I opened my sketchpad and found the picture I had drawn of the mother with her child. "I drew this the other day. I saw them outside when we first got here."

He looked it over. "Why don't you have anything published?"

"No one like you has ever seen them. I tried showing them to some people at Seireitei Communications, but they just brushed me off." I sighed. "Part of the reason I joined the ninth was to draw more and have my pictures published."

"What was the other part?"

"One day the Vice Captain of the Ninth Division came and spoke to my class. I liked what he said about being a shinigami and being in the Ninth Division. I wanted to work with him." And I wanted to get to know more about him. I hadn't felt intimidated by Shuuhei at the Academy. He had been nice, and cute and at one point, he'd looked right at me with a small smirk on his face. That had been it for me. I had to be part of the Ninth Division.

I turned the page in my sketchpad and began something else.

"At this rate, you're going to need another sketchpad."

"Then you will have a lot to chose from." I smiled at him and returned to my sketch. I could see it taking shape. "Shuuhei, would you mind...?"

"What... oh. You want to draw me?"

"I won't if you would prefer it." I would hide everything I had already drawn of him.

"I don't mind. Do you want me to pose or anything?" He scratched the back of his head.

"That's not necessary. Not yet anyway. I might change my mind."

...

We fought... or at least I fought daily while Shuuhei watched me. I was sure that he was seeing me, and my nervousness had disappeared after the first couple of battles.

This hollow was different. It was stronger than the others I had encountered. I released my shikai transforming the katana in my hand for a long rapier. I thought the speed of the rapier would help, and for a moment, it did. I was able to cut the hollow in a few places. I couldn't get to the hollow's mask. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't slash through the one thing that would help me defeat him.

A tentacle came out from the back of the hollow and hit my hand. My rapier fell to the ground as the tentacle wrapped around my wrist. Another tentacle came around and grabbed my other wrist. I kicked my feet trying to do something to dislodge myself from the hollow's grasp. A third tentacle wrapped around my legs, locking them together. Taking a breath, I tried to use kido, but none of my spells would work. I wasn't able to move my hands into the correct position to use kido. I looked around for Shuuhei, but I couldn't find him. He wasn't where he had been when I started my fight.

The hollow screamed.

"Shuuhei!" I willed myself not to cry. I was finally getting to know the man I was interested in and this hollow wasn't going to let me live. "SHUUHEI!"

The hollow screamed again; only this time, it was different. Looking up at it, I saw it's mask split in two as the hollow began to vanish. Then, I started falling.

It was a minute before Shuuhei caught me. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my head into his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I nodded, still fighting to catch my breath. I realized that not only was I holding onto Shuuhei, but he was holding onto me. A small smile spread across my lips. "Thank you for saving me... again."

"You're welcome." He hesitated, and I thought he was going to say something else.

He flash-stepped us down to the ground, and the thought of a kiss crossed my mind. This would be the perfect opportunity. Shuuhei glanced at my lips and I thought I saw his head lean a little closer to mine.

"Whoa. Check out this sword."

We broke apart and headed toward the voice. I watched as a young child tried to pick up my zanpakuto. The katana had reverted back to its sealed form.

"He can't be more than ten or eleven," I whispered.

"The hollow must have killed him."

Slowly I walked over to the boy and my zanpakuto. Picking up the katana, I saw the boy's eyes widen.

"Whoa. I couldn't lift it."

I smiled at him. "Maybe when you're older you will."

"How come you have a sword?"

"I need it for my job."

"Are you a ninja?"

With a laugh, I sat on the grass. "I am a shinigami."

"Is that why you have on weird clothes?"

"This is the standard Shinigami uniform."

"Where can I get a sword like yours?"

"If you are strong enough and smart enough, go to the Shinigami Academy in Seireitei. You'll get a sword there and learn how to use it."

"Oh. Cool." The boy grinned. "How do I get there?"

"I'll send you," I replied quietly.

"What about my parents? Will they come too?"

I shook my head, and my heart broke for this child that didn't realize he was dead. This was the worst part of being a shinigami; the death of children always tore at me. "Not today, but maybe someday."

A tear fell down the boy's cheek. "But..."

"You have to be brave. Shinigami are brave." I looked behind me for Shuuhei, but I didn't see him. "My friend is very brave. He is one of the bravest, smartest shinigami I know."

"I'm brave!" the boy exclaimed.

"Then you will make a great shinigami." I pressed the hilt of my zanpakuto to his head and watched the boy's soul change into a hell butterfly. As it flew toward Soul Society, I went to find Shuuhei.

He stood underneath a tree not far from where I had been. His eyes looked glassy. Quietly, I said his name.

Shaking his head, he looked at me. "What?"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Do you want to go out somewhere?"

I smiled. "I'd like that. Where are you thinking?"

"That's the thing. I don't want to think. I need a place with really loud music."

"Like a club?"

"Yes." Taking my hand, Shuuhei lead me across the park. During the walk, he'd changed his uniform into jeans and a sleeveless top. He kept his choker and arm bands on. If I hadn't already thought he was hot, I would have at that moment.

I changed my uniform into a cropped white shirt and navy blue polka dot culottes. Just for fun, I changed my shoes into white, sexy strappy sandals.

We walked into a club and found a small booth against the wall. I watched people dance and Shuuhei ordered drinks for us. A couple of songs played before our drinks were served. As I picked up my glass, I drank and watched the crowd. I wondered if I could get Shuuhei to dance with me.

When I looked over at him, he seemed to be staring off into the distance.

"Do you mind if I dance?"

He shook his head. "What?"

I leaned in closer. "Do you mind if I dance?"

"Go ahead. I need to go take care of something."

I nodded and headed out to the dance floor. I hoped it was alright to leave Shuuhei alone. I wondered what he needed to do. I knew it wasn't another hollow attack. I could feel that much. He had seemed distracted all day.

I lost track of the number of songs I danced to. I only know that I was having some fun, and I thought I'd be having more fun if Shuuhei was with me.

I looked over my shoulder and saw him at our booth. He smiled at me and I smiled back. After I finished the song, I headed back to where he sat.

Shuuhei nudged a glass of water toward me and I drank half of it.

"You look like you're having fun."

"Are you?" I asked.

"I enjoyed watching you."

I drank the rest of my water and tried not to grin like an idiot because Shuuhei was watching me. "Where did you go?"

He hesitated. "I thought... there was something..."

"Was there?"

"Not that I saw. Are you going to dance again?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. Are you going to dance with me or enjoy the view?"

He leaned closer to me, and said my name. Then he kissed me. Not some little can-I-do-this-kiss, but possessive and long. I didn't want to stop kissing Shuuhei; unfortunately, we needed to breath. After catching our breath, we went back for another kiss.

It was while we were catching our breath after that one, that Shuuhei slumped against me. I said his name a couple times, but he didn't reply. I flash-stepped us to the safe house. Laying him on his futon, I set up a barrier just as I felt his reiatsu spike. The jeans and sleeveless shirt burned away and I tried not to look lower as he laid there naked for a minute before his uniform rebuilt itself.

...

I stayed close to Shuuhei during his battle. I knew he was in his inner world, and I knew there was nothing I could do until he finished his battle. I only left when I felt a hollow's presence. Even then, I wasn't gone longer than I needed to be.

Since I had a somewhat willing and available model, I took advantage of Shuuhei and drew him in various poses and states. Some were just his face, some were full body, some were just partial. I debated on drawing him shirtless. Maybe if I knew him better it wouldn't feel so intrusive. In addition to Shuuhei, I also drew my friend, Hikari, and other random things. There were books in the safe house, and I began reading those. Without Shuuhei to talk to, my days were getting boring. At some point, I started drawing the characters in the books I was reading.

I knew the moment Shuuhei went from his battle to sleep. His reiatsu leveled off and he rolled onto his side. Reaching out for me, he pulled me closer to him. With a smile, I pushed away my sketchpad and laid with him. Soon I fell asleep as well.

When I woke up, I watched Shuuhei for a moment. I wondered how long he would sleep. After a shower and breakfast, I sat next to him with my sketchpad. Last night's drawing had a line drawn across the paper from when Shuuhei had pulled me to him. Turning the page, I started the drawing again.

...

I sheathed my zanpakuto as the mask split in two. I was getting a lot better and quicker at dispatching hollows. Flash-stepping back to the safe house, I walked in and saw Shuuhei in the kitchen.

"Oh. You're up." I smiled at him.

He looked at me. "You sound surprised. How long...?" He trailed off. "How long was I out, Kotone? How long ago did we go to the club? Time flows differently in your inner world."

"You battled for nearly five days, and you've slept for the last two."

"Seven days... You've been alone for seven days?"

"Yes, and I don't cower at hollows. I've defeated them all since you were..."

"I'm sorry, Kotone." Shuuhei walked over to me. "I remember watching you dance, and I remember kissing you. I wasn't finished before I was pulled away." Shuuhei kissed me. "He'd been pulling at me all day. When you were fighting the hollow... You screamed my name and he let me go. I was afraid I wouldn't make it to you in time. I'm sorry. I was fighting to stay in control. I don't remember much between the hollow and the club."

"That's why you wanted to go somewhere where you couldn't think."

Shuuhei rested his forehead on mine. "I just wanted to be alone with you without having to listen to him. But when I kissed you I forgot to block myself from him. I was vulnerable, and he took advantage of that." Taking my hand, Shuuhei flash-stepped us to an alley.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"I haven't eaten in seven days. I'm starving. Do you want to go out to dinner with me?"

"Is this a date?" I teased.

"Does going to a club count as a date?"

"Oh... um..." I stammered a moment, unsure of where we were going.

"I'm just trying to figure out if this is our first date or our second."

"We were rudely interrupted at the club. I don't think you can count that as a date." I changed my uniform into another dress; this one a sea foam green.

"I noticed I was in my uniform when I woke up. When did that happen?"

"I flash-stepped us back to the safe house, put a barrier around you, your reiatsu spiked...and your clothes changed." I looked away from him. I couldn't tell Shuuhei that I had almost seen him naked.

"Alright. Come on." Shuuhei took my hand, and we walked out of the alley. He'd changed into khakis and a long sleeve button down shirt. I stared for a moment. "What?"

"Nothing."

He smirked at me. "I figure if you're going to be in a fancy dress then I can dress up a little."

We walked into a nearby restaurant and were lead to a table. Shuuhei took very little time to figure out what he wanted.

We talked a lot while we waited for our food to arrive, and while we ate. I probably talked more than him since I had to let him know everything that happened while he was indisposed.

"What made you want to join the Ninth Division, Shuuhei?"

He looked at me. "You don't know?"

"Why would I ask if I already knew?"

He grinned at me. "Captain Tousen recruited me before I had graduated from the Academy. I had known I wanted to be a shinigami since I had been saved by Captain Muguruma when I was a child. After the Winter War, I began to wonder if he recruited me because of my skills, or if he recruited me because he had been there when I was a kid." Shuuhei sighed. "I guess I'll never know."

As the waitress served the piece of chocolate cake we were splitting, I remembered learning about the Winter War, and the individual battles that had been waged. I remembered that Shuuhei had been the one to kill his former captain, and I wondered how heavily it weighed on him. "I'd say it was a little bit of both."

"What do you mean?"

"It would have to be a little bit of both. If he'd recognized you and you had no talent, he wouldn't have recruited you. If you had been the highest student to ever come through the Academy, and he didn't know you, he wouldn't have recruited you. Not many people get recruited before they graduate."

"I can't think of anyone since me that it's happened to."

"Right. So it has to be a little of both. You were and still are talented, and he recognized you."

"A little of both...you might be right."

A few minutes later we walked down the street hand-in-hand.

"Will you tell me something else about you?" I asked. I wanted to know so much about him, and I felt cheated that he's been in his inner world for most of our stay here.

"Hmm." He thought a moment. "I snuck a motorcycle into Seireitei once."

"No!" I gasped.

Shuuhei grinned. "Yeah. It wasn't easy getting it through the senkai gate. Then I had to fix it up, which took some time. I finally got it working when Captain Commander Yamamoto found out. I had to bring it back."

I laughed. "I would have liked to see that."

"If I knew what happened to it, I'd take you for a ride on it."

"I'd like that. Was he a good Captain Commander?"

"Yes. He was a very good Captain Commander. He knew way more than you thought he would, and he was a great writer."

"Captain Commander Kyoraku is a good Captain Commander," I noted.

"He is. I'm sure it wasn't easy for him." Shuuhei sighed. "Although knowing her, Vice Captain Ise probably does most of the work."

"Probably," I agreed. "Where are we going?"

"I owe you a dance." He smiled at me. I thought I must be the luckiest girl on a date tonight. Shuuhei's communicator sounded. Looking at it, he frowned.

"Not a hollow?" I asked.

"No," he whispered as he answered it.

"You need to get back here. Now."

"Why?"

I thought I heard the caller growl. "You're the damn editor-in-chief. You have a crapton of people asking for you."

"I tried to tell you that I needed to take care of that. You were insistent on me staying here."

"Yeah, well. Get back here. Now. I'll have a gate open for you in ten minutes." Our captain hung up.

Shuuhei looked at me. "Looks like we'll have to take a rain check on our dance."

"If we only have ten minutes, then yes. I need to get my sketchpads together."

...

I woke up and noticed I wasn't alone in my quarters. I smiled at Shuuhei. He was leaning against the wall of my room and his eyes were closed. Quietly, I got out of bed and crawled into his lap, wrapping my blanket around us. He put his arms around me and I rested against him for a while.

"I couldn't sleep, but I didn't want to wake you." He kissed my temple.

"Well, you did sleep for nearly two days."

"I tried for a couple hours to sleep, but I couldn't. I worked until midnight, cleaned my quarters, tired to sleep, and I didn't know what else to do. I thought...I hoped you wouldn't mind if I watched you."

I smiled. "I don't mind. Besides, I watched you for a while. It's only fair." I leaned up and kissed his cheek. Shuuhei kissed me until we were both breathless.

"I don't want anything to change."

"What do you mean?"

"This. Us. I don't want it to change. I still want to see you outside of work."

"I would like that, even though I rarely saw you at work."

He smirked before kissing me again. "We need to have a date where we aren't interrupted," Shuuhei muttered against my hair.

"Maybe we'll be luckier here."

"I think we'll be uninterrupted for our next date."

"When will that be? Where are we going?"

"I was kind of thinking it could start after you got dressed. I brought over some things to make breakfast."

I smiled. "Then I should get dressed in something other than my pajamas." As I started to move off Shuuhei's lap, I remembered how little I was wearing. Carefully, I kept the blanket wrapped around me as I stood up.

When I walked into my little kitchen a few minutes later, dressed in my shinigami uniform, I saw that Shuuhei had indeed brought over some things to make breakfast. He had a couple different pans of food on the stove. "Where did you get that pan? It's not mine."

"It's mine. It's a crepe pan, and it makes really good crepes."

"You brought your own pan?"

"I thought it might come in handy." Pouring the batter into the pan, I watched him begin to make crepes. "Do you want to make tea?"

"Oh, right."

As we sat down to breakfast that included crepes, omelets, and rice, I looked at Shuuhei. "Wouldn't it have been easier to go to your quarters for breakfast?"

"Possibly, but we have a higher chance of being interrupted at my quarters. No one knows where to find me. I sealed my reiatsu."

"That makes sense." I took a bite of my omelet. I knew Shuuhei made good food, I had eaten it while we'd been in the real world. There was something about eating with him in my quarters that made the food taste better. "So we came back last night and you went straight to work?"

"Pretty much. I got most of the paperwork on my desk sorted out and I started on this month's issue. Until it is published, I don't know how much time I'll have to see you."

"It'll be ok. I'll wait."

"After the issue publishes, I'll have a lot more time for a couple weeks. Well until it's time for the next issue." He looked at me. "Although, I'm not usually trying to play catch up with everything."

"I have plenty of time. I probably don't have as much to catch up on as you do," I teased.

...

Someone knocked on my door. "Kotone!"

"Hikari, what are you doing here?" I looked at my friend. I had always wanted her blue-grey hair because it was so much different than boring brown. We'd met at the academy and had become close friends.

"You have to come quick."

"What's wrong?" I could see the panic on her face.

"You aren't even dressed yet!"

"I have on my pajamas. I just got back yesterday." Technically, it was the night before. Yesterday morning I had woken up and had my breakfast date with Shuuhei. Today, I hadn't been so lucky. I had tried not to be disappointed as I reminded myself that he had more important work to catch up on. "Give me a few minutes." Walking back into my bedroom, I changed out of my pajamas and into my uniform. "You still haven't explained," I reminded her as we walked out of my quarters.

She let out a breath. "Vice Captain Hisagi is sitting at your desk."

"He... what?" I stopped.

"He's sitting at your desk."

"Why?" I didn't wait for a reply. I flash-stepped. Shuuhei sat at my desk doodling on a piece of paper. "What are you doing?"

He was silent for a moment. "We had a deal," he said without looking at me.

"We did?"

Shuuhei kept on doodling. I couldn't see what he was intent on drawing. "I buy you sketchpads..."

"Oh. Right." I was very much aware that everyone was staring at us. "They are in my quarters." Quickly I flash-stepped back to my quarters. Hikari followed.

"What deal?"

"I had to draw something he can use in Seireitei Communications."

"You're going to be published?"

I smiled. "Yes. Shuuhei is going to publish my work." I grabbed the sketchpads from our time in the real world along with a couple of others.

"You're on a first name basis with Vice Captain Hisagi?"

"It would be weird to call him Vice Captain Hisagi after he kissed me."

"He what?"

"We need to have lunch to catch up." I flash-stepped back to my desk to find that Shuuhei had finished his doodle or at least he wasn't still doodling. "Do you want to look at these here? I also brought some of my other sketchpads from earlier this year."

"How many sketchpads do you have?" he asked me.

"Kotone draws at least once a day," Hikari chimed in as she sat at her desk which was next to mine..

"I noticed. Although it was more than once a day during our mission," Shuuhei agreed.

"Practice makes perfect."

"Right. Let's see what you have." He stood and indicated that he wanted me to sit.

"I don't have another chair for you. I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

As I sat in my chair, I noticed the new drawing hanging on the wall. Grabbing the pencil on my desk, I opened the last page of the newest sketchpad. Thank you for the flowers.

Shuuhei took the pencil from me. You're welcome.

Turning the sketchpad over, I opened it to the beginning. "There aren't a lot in this one. I had just started it before we had to leave."

"What happened here?" he asked, indicating a long mark down my drawing.

"I was interrupted. I call this one Transition." I turned the page. "This is the completed one." The drawing was of him. Some would say he was sleeping, but I knew he had been battling.

"Does the rest of this sketchpad have the same theme?"

"Mostly."

"Let me see the other one."

I opened the first sketchpad he'd bought me and let him flip through it. My fingers itched to draw him again, sitting at my desk.

"You draw this a lot," Shuuhei noted as he pointed to a symbol on the page.

"It's a harp. I draw it when I don't know what to draw."

"It's your muse?"

I shrugged. "You could say that. I like to use it as my signature too." I looked over at Hikari. I knew she was listening; just as I knew she wanted to comment on my harp.

Shuuhei smiled at me. "Who is this? I don't remember seeing him." The drawing was of a child with his shadow stretched out behind him; his shadow showed him as a shinigami.

"You were with me..." I shook my head. It had been the night he'd been fighting for control from his zanpakuto. "I did his soul burial. He tried to pick up my katana. He couldn't, but he was surprised I could. He wanted a sword too. I told him to go to the Academy when he was older and he could have one. I told him shinigami were brave, and that I was with the bravest and smartest shinigami I knew."

"I'm not brave. I was taught to fear my zanpakuto. That doesn't make me brave," Shuuhei whispered. He looked at the sketch again. "Can you write something up about him?"

"You just said I had to draw something."

"It needs a narrative. Otherwise it's just some random picture."

"Shu...Vice Captain Hisagi, I can draw whatever you want. I can't write. I can get someone to write something, but it won't be me."

"Kotone..." he began.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, afraid I was disappointing him, and he would change his mind.

Shuuhei pinched the bridge of his nose. "So I need to find someone to write what you just said."

"You could..."

"Here," Hikari interrupted as she handed me a paper.

Shuuhei and I skimmed the paper. "Hikari, it's perfect," I said as I looked over at my friend with a smile.

He read through it again. "I can use this. It could work." Picking up my sketchpad, he put Hikari's work inside and closed it. "I'll bring this back. Also," he turned to my wall of drawings. "Did you do this? Nevermind. I see the harp. Can I use this too?"

He took down the comic I had drawn long ago of an Academy student's kido missing the target dummy. Instead the student hit himself. To the side someone was saying 'Wrong dummy, dummy.' I had drawn it after Hikari and I watched our class's kido training. We had wondered if anyone would miss the target.

I nodded. "I have more..."

"Bring them to me. I need to get back. I can start with this. You and your friend will need to visit my office to sign release papers." He didn't wait for a reply. Instead, he flash-stepped away.

...

"I need details," Hikari demanded as we walked from our offices to the offices of Seireitei Communications.

"We got to know each other while we were in the real world."

"Yeah, that's the thing. You're a good fighter. What happened?"

I let out a breath. "I knew he was watching me, and I got nervous. I was almost defeated, but he saved me."

"Kotone, you don't get defeated easily."

"I know, but I was distracted by him. Captain Muguruma was just as disappointed in me as Shuuhei was. He made us stay there to practice fighting. We got to know each other. Then Shuuhei asked me on a date."

"Was this before or after he kissed you?"

"Well... it depends. We went out. He kissed me, and then we were interrupted. So we kind of don't count that as our first date. We were in the middle of our second first date when he got called back here."

"How did you get him to agree to publish your work?"

I smiled. "I just asked if he would buy me a sketchpad. The only condition he had was that I would have to draw something he could publish."

"So this mission turned out really well for you."

I smiled. "It really did."

We walked into the offices. Shinigami were moving all around, and in the middle of them was Shuuhei. He stood at a table with papers all around him, and a pencil tucked behind his ear. I saw him smile when he saw me. Excusing himself from the table, he walked over to a nearby desk.

"I had these written up for the use of your drawings for this issue and any issues in the future." He looked at Hikari. "Yours is, of course, for your writing."

"Thank you, Vice Captain Hisagi," Hikari replied as she took her contact and signed it.

"Thank you." I handed him my signed contract.

"Can I see you... privately for a moment?" he asked me.

"Sure." I followed him down a hallway.

"Have you submitted your report to Captain Muguruma?"

"I turned it in yesterday. I told him you spent five straight days in your inner world, and that you had to have used your shikai while there. I also told him that I don't cower at hollows. That had actually been the first time I had." I shook my head.

"And you had been distracted." He stopped and opened a door. "In here."

I walked into the room. "What's in..." I didn't have a chance to say anything else because Shuuhei kissed me.

"I've wanted to do that all day."

"It took you long enough. We didn't have an early morning date today."

"I'm sorry. This morning I got up and came straight to work." He kissed me again. "Does she know about us?"

I hesitated on answering because I couldn't tell if he was upset about it.

"I don't mind. I just didn't want her to think it was weird that I kissed you if she didn't know."

I smiled. "Hikari is my best friend. I don't keep things from her. I told her about us. She won't say anything to anyone."

"I don't mind," he repeated. "I'm not keeping you or us a secret. One day, we'll go out with my friends. I think you'll like them."

"I can bring Hikari. So you can hang out with my best friend."

Shuuhei smirked. "Deal."

...

I wasn't sure if I couldn't sleep because I wanted to finish the drawing of Shuuhei sitting at my desk or if I couldn't sleep because I was nervous about my work being published. It felt like being in a dream. My work was going to be seen by anyone who read our paper, and I was dating the man who was going to make it happen...but neither of those happened because of the other.

I flipped back a couple of pages to the drawings I had done of Shuuhei while he'd been battling and sleeping. Smiling at them, I wondered what he was doing. I hadn't seen Shuuhei since I signed my contract. He'd been too busy for us to have any time together; not even early morning breakfasts. I was hoping that would change tomorrow after Seireitei Communications was distributed.

Sighing, I went back to my current drawing. "I wouldn't mind seeing this again," I muttered to myself.

"Working late?"

I jumped and looked at him.

"Shuuhei? What are you doing?"

"I was looking for you." He came around my desk to stand next to me.

"I couldn't sleep, so I was sketching. Why were you looking for me?"

"I wanted you to have this," Shuuhei said with a smile as he handed me a copy of Seireitei Communications.

"My drawing is in here?" I asked in disbelief.

"Two of them are. The one of the boy and the comic you drew."

"Oh Shuuhei. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." Standing, I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry it took me so long to see your work. I would have published you when you first joined the ninth if I had known."

I shook my head. "I'm published now. It's... exciting."

"I'm happy for you. I want to take you out to dinner. Can we go out tomorrow night?"

"It's a date." Closing my sketchpad, I began walking back to my quarters with Shuuhei. He held my hand. "It's so quiet out tonight."

"It's nearly midnight, Kotone."

"I didn't realize it was that late. I lose track of time when I'm drawing."

"In a few hours, they'll start distributing the new issue."

"That makes for an early morning."

"Thankfully I don't have to be there." We stopped at my door and Shuuhei kissed me.

"Do you want to come inside?"

He smirked before kissing me again. Resting his forehead on mine, he replied. "I want to, but I need sleep. I pulled an all-night last night..."

"I understand. Go get some sleep so you aren't falling asleep on our date tomorrow night."

"I haven't seen you in a few days, and I..." he trailed off and yawned.

"Go home, Shuuhei. Get some sleep," I said gently.

"Good night, Kotone."

"Good night, Shuuhei."

...

"You should do something different," Hikari whined.

"I don't know where we're going. Besides, I let you paint my nails." They were a pale sky blue, and more fun than I thought they would be.

"I like that color on you. It looks good." Hikari stared at me. "You should do something to your hair. Do you trust me?"

"It's not a matter of trusting you."

"Come on, Kotone. If you don't like it, you can change it." I nodded. "Yes! Let me go get some things. I'll be right back." She flash-stepped to her quarters.

"Shuuhei, you could show up right now and save me from this," I whispered. We had to delay our date because he had his Shinigami Men Association meeting tonight. He didn't want to cancel our date, so we pushed it back until after his meeting.

"Alright, let's do this," Hikari said as she returned with a lot of hair supplies.

I didn't watch. I didn't want to watch. I just prayed that Shuuhei's meeting would end quickly so he could save me from this torment.

"It's still missing something." Hikari studied me. "Oh. I know!" She flash-stepped again, and soon returned with what looked like a giant marshmallow wrapped in a red ribbon.

"No, Hikari." I stood and shook my head at her. That's when I noticed my reflection; pigtails that curved up in an attempt to defy gravity. She wanted to put a hat on top of this?

"Come on, Kotone. It's supposed to be in fashion right now."

"I don't care. I..." I was saved by the knock on my door. "Come in!"

Shuuhei walked in. He looked about ready to say something when he saw us.

"I'll be ready in just a minute," I told him, thankful that my friend hadn't decided to put that ridiculous hat on me. Walking over to the mirror, I took down the pigtails and brushed out my hair.

"You don't want to try the hat?" Hikari asked. "It would look good on you."

"Not tonight."

Shuuhei walked up to Hikari. "May I?" He took the hat from her. To my surprise, he didn't want the hat itself; he just wanted the red ribbon off it. Turning to me, he slid the ribbon around my neck, and then around my hair.

"Can you tie a bow?" I asked.

"I tie my obi every day." I smiled at his reply. "There. Ready?"

"Yes."

"Don't wait up," Shuuhei said to Hikari as he flash-stepped us out of my quarters.

...

After dinner, Shuuhei and I sat on the grass next to a koi pond.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"The Ugendo Quarters. Captain Ukitake used to come here to rest."

"It's nice and peaceful here."

"It is," he agreed as he stared at me. "I like this."

"What?"

"This look. I like the ribbon."

"I should thank you for it. That hat was..." I trailed off.

"Horrendous," Shuuhei supplied.

I laughed. "Yes."

"Turn your head. I want to see something."

"What?" I asked as I turned my back to him.

"I thought I noticed..." I felt Shuuhei brush my hair aside. "You have a tattoo."

I smiled and turned around to face him. "I do. It's my harp. I forget it's there. I don't see it often."

"How many tattoos do you have?

"Just the one."

"I like it." He leaned over and kissed me. "You never wear your hair up to show it off."

"Not everyone flaunts their ink like you and Vice Captain Abarai."

"True."

"Do you only have two?"

"For now."

I smiled. "Do you think of getting another? What would you get?"

"I don't know. I've thought about it, but nothing great comes to mind. I don't rule out the possibility of getting another, but I'm not going to rush into it."

"I feel the same."

...

I sat at my desk, drawing. Another issue of Seireitei Communications was being distributed today. My drawings were again featured. Hikari had written something small to go with the drawing. Shuuhei had told me he received a lot of letters about my drawings and requests for more. Last week I signed a permanent contract with Seireitei Communications for a monthly article featuring my art.

I wasn't sure where I found the inspiration for this drawing. It was just something I had to get out on paper. I had long ago tuned out the people around me. Muttering to myself, I continued to draw.

When I finally put my pencil down, I felt like I was coming out of a trance, but the drawing was really good. I looked up and saw Shuuhei sitting in a chair facing me.

"I wondered how long it would take you to finish."

"Sometimes, it's difficult to tell. Have you been waiting long?" I noticed we were the only two in the office.

He shrugged. "I kept busy."

"Doing what?"

"Multitasking. I started writing down what you were muttering, and I drew a picture of you. It's not finished so you can't see it yet."

I smiled. I had two drawings from Shuuhei, one of flowers, and one of my harp. "I can be patient."

He handed me his list. "Put this in with your drawing."

I did as he asked and closed my sketchpad. Together, we walked out into the Ninth Division. We hadn't gotten far when someone hailed Shuuhei.

"Hisagi-san, I've been looking for you," Vice Captain Kira ran to catch up with us. "Matsumoto's getting everyone together."

"Oh. Kotone and I..."

"Would love to go." I finished for him. I gave Shuuhei a smile when he looked at me.

"Great. We're meeting in the tenth division. I have to go find the others. I'll meet you there." He flash-stepped away.

"Are you sure?" Shuuhei asked me.

"I'm sure. I don't mind hanging out with your friends."

"You can invite Hikari. The more the merrier."

"I think she'd like that."

"We can find someone for her."

I laughed.

"What?"

"That's not as easy as you think."

"Why not? The male to female ratio will be in her favor."

"No it won't." I smiled. "Hikari doesn't like men."

"Oh... OH. Ok then, maybe it won't be in her favor."

Laughing, I looked at him. "I can still invite her. The more the merrier."

...

We sat in the tenth division dining hall at a table with Shuuhei's friends and Hikari. There were a lot more people here than I expected. Matsumoto had talked some of her division members into cooking food for us.

"Your cup is empty, Kotone-chan," she noticed as she filled it up again. "I like your ribbon."

I smiled. "Thank you." I'd been wearing the red ribbon in my hair since the night Shuuhei had tied it there.

"How long have you been with Shuuhei?"

"About six weeks."

"How did it happen?"

"We were on a mission together, and it just happened."

"I didn't know Shuuhei was on a mission."

"We were fighting hollows."

"Kotone was learning how not to cower at hollows," Shuuhei interjected.

I glared at him. "It was only the one time."

Matsumoto leaned over to me. "Shuuhei lost a team to a hollow when he was at the Academy."

"It wasn't the whole team," he said quietly. "Aoga didn't die. Just Kanisawa."

"I'm sorry, Shuuhei." I put my hand on his arm.

"She wasn't supposed to be there, but we were dating and I suggested her as part of my team." He took a drink of sake. "Aoga doesn't blame me, and I stopped blaming myself after we found out that Aizen had been experimenting during our mission."

I listened and drank while they talked of Aizen.

"Hikari-chan, Kotone-chan, we should go shopping and to the spa sometime."

"That could be fun," Hikari replied with a smile. I nodded at her.

"Kotone-chan can buy something to wear for Shuuhei."

Shuuhei nearly choked on his drink.

"He's seen me in human clothes. We wore them on our mission," I told them. Matsumoto waved her hand and filled up my cup again.

"Not like that," she whispered.

"Watch her, Vice Captain Hisagi. She's a lightweight," Hikari told him with a smile.

I wasn't paying too much attention to her, because Matsumoto was telling me more about what I should buy.

After a couple hours and too many drinks to count, Shuuhei decided it was time to leave. As I stumbled out of the tenth division, I felt him pick me up. "Let's get you home," he whispered. I snuggled into him and soon fell asleep.

...

I woke up somewhat confused on where I was. I couldn't remember coming home. Slowly I opened my eyes and saw a half naked Shuuhei in my bed.

"We had sex," I muttered. "And I don't remember it."

Shuuhei laughed. "I didn't do something right if you don't remember having sex." He leaned over and kissed me. "You were asleep before we left the tenth division. We didn't have sex."

"Oh. You're just..." I trailed off and willed myself not to stare at his chest.

"In my pajamas. I hadn't planned on staying, but you wouldn't let go of my uniform."

"Sorry." I looked up at him.

"I also decided against changing you into pajamas. At least while you were unable to give your consent."

"Oh. Well..." I changed my uniform into a long sleeve pajama top and pants. They were pink with silhouettes of bunny heads on them.

Shuuhei laughed. "Not what I was thinking when I thought about being in bed with you, but I can make it work."

I laughed at him. "How about this?" Altering my reiatsu again, my pajamas changed into shorts and a short sleeve shirt. These were yellow with bananas on them.

His finger trailed up my arm. "A little better."

Watching him, I changed again. This time into a thin white tank top with a red bow in the middle and short white shorts.

"This. I like this."

"I usually wear something similar to this. Even in winter. I don't like wearing pants to sleep in. They bunch up funny..."

"Kotone," Shuuhei looked at me. "Clothes don't bunch up if you aren't wearing any." He kissed me, and soon his hands were everywhere. Then his mouth was everywhere and neither of us were wearing pajamas anymore.

...

"Kotone!"

I jumped. "Yes, Captain?"

"Come. Now." He glared at me. "Bring your stuff."

Quickly I gathered my things including my sketchpad. My heart raced and I wished for Shuuhei. I didn't know what was about to happen. I just knew Captain Muguruma was angry. "Did I do something wrong sir?"

He didn't answer, and I could only follow. He lead me into his offices. Vice Captain Mashiro was there picking up papers that were scattered on the ground. I didn't see Shuuhei.

"They don't pay me to babysit," he muttered.

I followed his gaze to the set of couches. Shuuhei laid on one of them. "What happened?"

Captain Muguruma shrugged. "He walked in and passed out. When was the last time he communicated with his zanpakuto?"

"I honestly don't know. He hasn't around me since we were on our mission."

"I understand when he's busy with the paper, but that was a couple weeks ago. Stay with him. When he wakes up, ask him." He turned and walked out of the office.

"Oi! Kensei. Wait for me." Mashiro looked at me. "Pick these up and put them on Hisagi's desk."

Putting my stuff on the table, I finished picking up the papers. I placed them on Shuuhei's desk and looked at the pictures he had put on the wall. One was just filled with random drawings including my harp, a white fluffy hat, his tattoo, and our division flower. It was a page of randomness that I sometimes draw to help me figure out what to draw. I smiled at it being there.

Walking over to the couch, I sat at the table facing Shuuhei. I opened my sketchpad and continued drawing.

...

"Kotone," someone whispered.

"Hm?" I mumbled.

"Kotone."

Slowly I opened my eyes and looked around. "Shuuhei?" I looked at him. "Oh. Shuuhei. I'm sorry. I wasn't supposed to fall asleep."

"It's after midnight." He sat up and looked at me. "Do you know what happened?"

"Captain Muguruma said you came in and passed out. I'm assuming he put you on the couch before he went to get me. You were communicating with Kazeshini, weren't you?"

"Yes."

"Has it been a while since you communicated with him?"

"How long ago was our mission?"

Our mission had been weeks ago. "Shuuhei, you..."

"I spend all my free time with you. I like spending time with you. It's better than spending time with him."

"He's part of you. You can't ignore him."

"I don't like him."

"You have to work with your zanpakuto. You can't ignore part of who you are."

"It's worked so far."

"You ignore him and he pulls you in. You passed out in the club and then here. What happens when he pulls you in while no one is around? What if you hurt yourself when he pulls you in?"

"That won't happen."

"How do you know? You don't even try to communicate with him. I communicate with my zanpakuto at least once a week."

"You don't hate your zanpakuto."

"Neither do you. Not really."

"I do everything I can to avoid using my shikai. I don't like the way it looks."

"It looks powerful."

"It is, but it also looks like it's meant to kill. I didn't become a shinigami to kill."

"I understand, but..."

"I'm not going to argue about this, Kotone."

My heart broke for him. "Fine, but you can't ignore it either, Shuuhei." Knowing in my heart that I loved him, and believing I was saying this for him, I told him, "Maybe we should spend some time apart so you can spend time with Kazeshini."

...

Glancing back at my sketches for the past few days, I could tell my heart wasn't in them. I was distracted, and my work showed that. I wondered if I would have anything worthy of being published. I had a week before Shuuhei would want something. I hadn't seen him since that night.

Turning to a new page, I started another drawing; Kazeshini. I hadn't intended on drawing Shuuhei's zanpakuto, but I couldn't stop myself. It was on my mind. Each end of the paper had a spiked rod with two scythes. I drew the chain linking them together and looping through the middle of the page. For such a powerful zanpakuto, it had a simple design.

"Kotone."

My hand hesitated on the paper. "Vice Captain Hisagi." Slowly I looked up at him. My heart jumped at seeing him even though we'd only been apart for a few days.

"I need your help."

"My help with what?" I was suddenly aware that it was still work hours and there were people around us.

"You don't like my way. I don't like his way. I'll try it your way, but I can't without you."

"What do you mean?"

"I've tried every day since then to communicate with him. It doesn't work."

"Is he not listening to you?"

"Maybe, but I don't think that's the biggest issue." Shuuhei walked over and knelt beside me so we were eye-level. "I try to communicate with him, but all I can think of is you. It doesn't matter what time of day I try, when I stop what I'm doing and clear my mind, you're there."

"I don't know what you want me to do."

He held out his hand. "Come with me."

I put my hand in Shuuhei's and let him lead me to his quarters.

Once inside Shuuhei looked at me. "Before we do anything, can I kiss you?"

I smiled. "You never asked before."

"I'm asking now because I don't know what you want."

"You, Shuuhei. Just you," I replied as I kissed him. This wasn't a simple kiss; it was the kiss of two lovers who haven't seen each other in days. Shuuhei pulled me closer to him. I barely felt him tug on my obi. My uniform fell to the floor and his hands were on me.

Once I had gotten his uniform off him, Shuuhei carried me to his bed.

...

"I didn't ask for your help as a reason to have sex." Shuuhei kissed my forehead. "I couldn't get you out of my head."

I cuddled into him. "I know, and I do want to help you. What do you need me to do?"

"Just stay here. I won't be wondering what you're doing if you're here."

I laid next to Shuuhei while he attempted to communicate with Kazeshini. After a few minutes, I figured he must have succeeded since he was quiet and his breathing had slowed. His reiatsu jumped and I knew he was with Kazeshini.

Closing my eyes, I did as Shuuhei requested and stayed. Soon I feel asleep.

I awoke to find myself in a town. I was dressed in my uniform, which I hadn't been in when I fell asleep next to Shuuhei. As I looked around, I noticed all the signs and billboards used the same name; Kazeshini. That's when I realized that I wasn't asleep; I was in Shuuhei's inner world. It's not common for shinigami to share their inner world, and I wondered why I was here. I wandered around looking for Shuuhei.

I soon found him fighting a man wearing a uniform like ours, but white instead of black. The man also wore a white mask that covered his face.

"Come on. That's not what I said to do," a third man taunted. This had to be Kazeshini. "Do what I told you, Hisagi-sama." I noticed Kazeshini's voice was filled with contempt when he called Shuuhei Hisagi-sama.

"Show me your form of justice, Vice Captain Hisagi," the man in white called. I realized this man was Captain Tousen.

As I watched the battle between Tousen and Shuuhei, I saw how powerful Shuuhei really was. I'm not sure why he doesn't fight at full power. He's always holding himself back.

I flash-stepped up to the roof of a nearby building to get a better look. I watched as Shuuhei used the rods and the chain in his fight. Kazeshini continuously shouted out criticisms.

"No. No. No." Kazeshini stood and stepped into the fight holding his own spiked rods. "Like this." He then demonstrated the technique he wanted Shuuhei to use and defeated Tousen. Snapping his fingers, another Tousen appeared. "Again, Hisagi-sama."

I watched as Shuuhei began his fight again. There were minor differences between this battle and the previous one, but I saw when Shuuhei was about to make his move. Using the new technique, he defeated Tousen.

"Again," Kazeshini demanded as he snapped his fingers and another Tousen appeared. The battle began. I watched as Shuuhei attacked Tousen and deflected attacks. Tousen flash-stepped next to me. Pulling me close to him, he pressed the edge of his sword to my neck.

"Kotone," Shuuhei gasped, stopping himself before he threw the spiked rod. "She can't be harmed, right?" he asked Kazeshini. "Shinigami can't be harmed in their inner world."

"True, but this isn't her inner world; it's yours."

"Killing her would balance out the scales of justice, Vice Captain Hisagi. You killed me. I kill her."

"No." Shuuhei stared at Tousen. "You were twisted by Aizen. She has done nothing to you."

"But you would do anything for her," he countered, pressing the sword into my skin.

"Back attack?" Kazeshini suggested.

"It could go through him and hit her. I'm not letting Kotone get harmed."

"Aim for his head."

"He could use her as a shield."

Kazeshini scoffed. "Do you have any ideas?"

"I'm thinking."

"Yeah while you think, he's digging that sword deeper into her neck."

Shuuhei flash-stepped closer to Tousen. "Kotone has nothing to do with this."

"Stay back." Tousen pointed his sword at Shuuhei.

"Killing her isn't justice."

"No, but it would hurt you." Tousen pointed his sword at me and then I felt the scrap of the blade against my arm. Blood began to seep out of the cut.

"No!" Shuuhei shouted as he gripped the spiked rods tighter.

Someone screamed behind me. Tousen moved and dodged Kazeshini's attack.

"That didn't work either," Kazeshini pouted.

"It might have if you hadn't screamed."

"Well excuse me, Hisagi-sama." Kazeshini thought a moment. "What about the armbands?"

"They'll explode and hurt Kotone."

"That pinning kido with all the rods you like to use?"

"Hyapporankan." Shuuhei shook his head. "No. It will..."

"Hit Kotone." Kazeshini rolled his eyes. "You're avoiding using your shikai."

"I don't want to hurt her."

"It seems we're at a stalemate, Vice Captain Hisagi," Tousen commented.

"Well, there could be a way," Kazeshini began. "If you truly want to protect her, you'll have to rely on me." He held up his spiked rods so the scythes covered his mouth and Shuuhei's. I watched Shuuhei's eyes go wide at Kazeshini's suggestion, but still it didn't take him long to decide it would work.

Kazeshini flash-stepped away. Shuuhei began to twirl the spiked rod in his hand. He let out the chain ever so slowly while he prepared his next move.

"Do you trust me, Kotone?" he asked, looking at me.

I nodded. "Of course, I lo-" Tousen's hand came over my mouth.

"I've never actually done this," he smirked. "I think it will work. Kazeshini thinks it will work." The wind began to pick up around us. My hair kept blowing into my face. "I will protect you." His words floated on the wind. "Bankai."

...

"Kotone. Kotone. Kotone."

I woke up with Shuuhei holding me close. There was panic in his voice as he repeated my name.

"Shuuhei," I muttered against him.

Slowly he pulled me back. "You're alright?"

"I think so." His thumb ran over my cheek. "You... You achieved bankai."

"It was the only way to save you." He kissed me.

"I never expected you to do it. You don't like Kazeshini."

"I don't like the shape of it, but someone once told me I had to work with him, and that I couldn't ignore part of who I was."

"She sounds pretty smart. You should listen to her more often."

Shuuhei laughed and then placed a kiss on my forehead. "That first day without you, as I tried to talk to Kazeshini, even he knew how distracted I was. I couldn't stop thinking of you. On our mission, I was really upset that you almost let that hollow defeat you."

"You were watching me. I was nervous."

"You told me that the three of us watching you made you nervous."

"You made me more nervous than them. I could feel you watching me and I wanted to impress you. I failed at that."

"I'm kind of glad you didn't impress me. We wouldn't have been left there together if I had been impressed with you."

I thought about that a moment. "True, and I wouldn't have been published."

He shook his head at me. "That first day, Kazeshini said he wouldn't talk to me until I told you."

"Told me what?"

"He lied," Shuuhei realized. "He lied because I still haven't told you."

"He lies because you don't," I pointed out. "What haven't you told me?"

"It was easy to agree to work with him. I would do anything to protect the woman I love." He kissed me softly. "Do you know how difficult it is to be in love with you and not be able to tell you?"

"Probably about as difficult as knowing I was in love with you and telling you we should spend time apart."

"Kazeshini and I made a deal. I'll communicate and train with him once a week, but I'll go to him. He won't pull me in without my knowledge or consent anymore. I need to practice my bankai. It will take a while to master."

"I'll watch over you."

"I would like that." He smiled. "You should get dressed so I can take you out."

"Out where?"

"Someplace special."

...

I walked down the street with Shuuhei. We were in the human world for our date. Dinner had been good, even if Shuuhei hadn't made it.

"This is a little late," he began as we walked into the club. "I owe you a dance."

"Oh. Shuuhei."

"I promise I won't be as distracted this time."

I laughed. "Are you sure?" I asked as I changed my dress into short red culottes and a black halter top.

He cleared his throat. "Let me amend that. I'll be distracted for a completely different reason."

With another laugh, I lead him out to the dance floor. After a couple of songs, a slow song came on. I thought we would go get something to drink, but Shuuhei grabbed my hand. He pulled me close to him.

"Dance with me," he whispered as he put my hand on his shoulder.

With a smile, I wrapped my arms around his neck. "If you insist." I smiled. Shuuhei put his hands on my waist, and we danced in small circles.

"We should do this more often," he whispered as his lips brushed over my cheek. "I love you, Kotone."

I turned my head and kissed him. "I love you, Shuuhei."