Jack and Jill
Summary: Nothing about the misfortunate happenings of people tumbling down hills and breaking crowns. Just a series of one-shots. First one-shot: Miyako/Kaien
Author's Note: Yeah, I should be updating "1918"…it's really bad how long it's been since I started it…but I wanted to get this down before this plot bunny scurried away. I don't know Miyako's last name was before she married Kaien, but if her maiden name appeared somewhere, tell me and I'll edit accordingly. These are a series of one shots.
Disclaimer: I'm not Kubo Tite…and if I'm not him, I don't own Bleach.
"It's fun and easy! And safe!"
"Why me? I wasn't even in the squad's main building when he disappeared…" muttered Miyako as she stomped through the forest in the Western 3rd Rukongai district. She didn't know why she had been put up to the task of looking for the Vice Captain of the 13th squad when others had been with him prior to his disappearance.
Miyako climbed over a fallen log and continued to trudge through the inhibiting tall plants. If Ukitake-taichou had a hunch about his whereabouts, why didn't he himself go after him? Oh right, he's not in the best health right now. But why her? She questioned. Sure, she knew who he was—everyone did—but why not one of his closer acquaintances. She sighed with relief when she saw the plants lessen in density. Hopping over another log and stepping through a wall of ferns, she came into a clearing.
And the white-haired-man-with-a-less-than-amazing-immune-system was right.
The missing Vice Captain was lying down on the top of the hill in the middle of the clearing facing the sky. Either he deliberately chose to ignore her entrance or he was asleep and did not stir. Miyako sneezed.
Kaien's eyes slowly opened and he sluggishly sat up and leaned back onto his forearms. He turned his head to look at Miyako, straight in the eye. He didn't look like he was in any hurry to leave this place.
Miyako tried to give him an admonishing look, but all that appeared was a light blush. She had never really thought of the Vice Captain as the most attractive man in the Seireitei, but his intense gaze caught her off-guard.
She coughed in a vain attempt to stop the heat rising into her cheeks. "Sir, Ukitake-taichou sent me to find you."
He simply scratched the back of his head and sat upright.
"Uh…" Miyako was confused by his wordless response. Kaien then stood up and dusted off his clothing.
"Miyako…" He looked serious, "have you ever rolled down a hill?"
"Er…what?"
"It's a lot of fun."
Miyako gave him a quizzical look. A member of a Noble house rolling down a hill like a child? She tried to imagine someone like Kuchiki-taichou rolling down a hill.
"You're wondering why a member of a Noble house would participate in such frivolity, aren't you? Yeah, it would be odd to see Kuchiki Byakuya rolling down a hill…besides, you don't look too happy right now." He grinned at the thought of the stuffy 6th Division captain playing on a grassy hill.
"I'm actually really happy right now!"
"Sure. I can tell that looking for me was the highlight of your day. I know you probably had plenty of other and more important stuff to do." Kaien flashed her a fake hurt look. She gave him a genuinely apologetic one in return.
He smiled and clapped her shoulder, "I'm joking! You need to loosen up…"
She raised an eyebrow.
"…By rolling down a hill!" he continued. Then Kaien walked to the edge of the hilltop, "Watch!"
Miyako sighed and nodded. Kaien grinned again and sat down. Then he lay back on the grass and crossed his arms over his chest. He then pressed against the ground with his foot and started to roll down the hill. Miyako watched him descend quickly and stop at the foot of the hill. Kaien sat up, stretched out his neck and stood up.
"C'mon! It's fun and easy!" he called from the bottom, "And safe!" Miyako saw that his zanpaktou was laying in the grass the top of the hill. Following suit, albeit hesitantly, she removed her own and placed it next to Nejibana.
"Need help?" he called again. She shook her head and sat down like he had. She laid back and looked down the hill and saw him smiling. Crossing her arms and taking a deep breath she kicked off the ground. As her body gained momentum a small yelp escaped from her mouth.
Miyako slowly came to a stop. When her body stopped moving she looked up and met Kaien's gaze again.
"You did it!" he beamed holding a hand out to her. "Break anything?"
She smiled up at him, "I don't think so." Sitting up, Miyako brushed some grass out of her hair and took Kaien's outstretched hand. He helped her up and brushed some stray grass off her back. She felt the heat rising in her cheeks again as he touched her.
"So you were sent to fetch me, right?" he asked over his shoulder as he led the way back up the hill. Miyako nodded.
"Then we should get back…before they send an army after us," Kaien grinned. He picked up both Nejibana and Miyako's zanpaktou. As he handed it to her, their fingers brushed against each other. A faint blush crept onto both of their cheeks. There was silence as they walked to the edge of the forest.
"Ladies first," Kaien said separating a wall of ferns. Miyako walked through the ferns and Kaien followed her. Some time into the trek back Kaien wordlessly grabbed her hand. Miyako gave him a questioning look.
Kaien looked away sheepishly, "So we don't get separated." Miyako grinned at his obvious lie and gave his hand a slight squeeze. He smiled and squeezed her hand back.
Author's Note: Like it? Hate it? Want a Kaien of your own? Yeah, I wish I had a Kaien of my own XD. Next one-shot will be KaiRuki