Summary: With Zaraki beside him, Jushiro's certain that he'll forever cherish the moments they have together.
Precious
Jushiro hummed in contentment as the warm autumn breeze teased the white strands about his face. He raised a cup of warm tea to his lips, took a sip and revelled in the pleasant heat that spread throughout his being. Calming as it was, he still couldn't wait for his guest to arrive. He'd placed the meeting at around five, and now it was already six in the evening.
Though he was used to the man being significantly behind schedule, he just couldn't keep the small bit of irritation from nagging at the back of his mind. Jushiro even went out of his way to prepare the tea by himself, ensuring that everything was just right. His maidservant had protested at first, but with a gentle, dismissive wave of a hand, he sent her away. He was capable of taking care of his own business, and he was certain that he had done quite a good job of brewing that pot of tea.
A blast of spiritual pressure, a sharp gasp that escaped Haruko's lips, and Jushiro simply turned his head around with a welcoming smile in place. The maidservant gave him a hasty bow and scampered down the hallway in an instant, so fast that she nearly tripped over her own feet.
Poor girl – she dreaded these meetings. The first time she was confronted with the overwhelming, foreign spiritual pressure, Jushiro had to cover her before she suffocated. That one experience left her traumatized, and though she was faring well by now, she had taken caution to stay in the farthest corner of the compound whenever the man came around.
"Yo," Kenpachi gave a mock-salute as Yachiru leaped off his shoulder to latch onto Jushiro's face.
"Sorry we're late, Ukki! I told Ken-chan to go get some candy for me but we got lost and then he said that you had some so we came back to the Seireitei and then we got more lost because Ken-chan can't remember the way."
"Can't remember the way?" Jushiro raised an eyebrow in question, teasing Kenpachi who scowled at the girl as he dropped himself down beside his fellow captain. "You've been here so many times and yet you still can't remember?"
"It ain't my fault. The brat pointed me in all these damned directions. Blame her."
"Mean Ken-chan! You were the one who didn't know where to go. I was just bein' helpful!" Yachiru launched herself at him and slapped him over the head. "Bad Ken-chan!"
"Like ye got any say in this – ye forced me into bringin' ye to that goddamn store! I wonder why I even listen to ye!" But before he can smack her away, she leaped back to Jushiro and perched on his shoulder, sticking out a tongue at Kenpachi.
"'Cause Ken-chan's stuuupid!"
"Now, now, Yachiru…" Jushiro fumbled through his sleeves, producing a small pouch of sugar cubes the next moment, grinning at the way Yachiru's eyes brightened up at the sight. "Why don't you take this and leave Zaraki and I for a while? I'll come over the next time to give you more, okay?"
"Yay, Ukki!" Yachiru snatched the pouch right from his hands and sped out of the Ugendo, disappearing in a blur of pink and black. With a frown, Kenpachi watched her go, a faint look of fondness in his single grey eye that made Jushiro smile. He poured a cup of tea and offered it to him. The man wasn't one for tea, but Jushiro insisted he had some instead of sake whenever he was here. Jushiro himself had enough alcoholto last a lifetime given his frequent outings with Shunsui.
"The brat's a handful," Kenpachi muttered, laying down and resting his head in Jushiro's lap.
"You still put up with her despite her antics." Jushiro stroked the side of his neck and bent down to kiss his ear. "That's saying something." He only received a grunt in reply, but he knew better than to dismiss it. The man was known for his rough and tumble nature, but Jushiro knew more than anyone that he had a soft spot for the child. That was one of his traits that drew Jushiro to him, what he found so endearing about the hulking man. "So, how was your day?"
"Ikkaku beat up some of those pansies again. They needed it, really. Can't stand up for 'emselves even when they've got death starin' 'em right in the face. Pretty-boy's been doin' that paperwork bullshit, archivin' an' some shit – he needs t'relax an' get laid, fo'serious." He took a sip of the tea, trying hard to hide his grimace at its bitter taste. "'Chiru's been drawin' all over the wall again. I ain't got half the mind t'even try an' stop her. Brat'll do whatever she wants whenever she wants. Ain't no use givin' a shit. How the fuck y'all drink this anyway?"
"Hm?" Jushiro cracked open an eye, the sudden question shattering his thoughts of the Eleventh Division. Through Kenpachi's words, he had been imagining what it was like to be in his squad for a day. It wasn't like he hadn't spent a day there, but it would be interesting to actually work as an underling. Interesting, and dangerous too. "What was that?"
Kenpachi stared up at him for a while, swirling the green, transparent tea around in its cup, and with a sigh, he placed it down on the balcony. Reaching out, he took Jushiro by the back of his head and brought him down for a careless kiss.
"Those Third Seats a'yours botherin' ye again?" He ran a thumb over Jushiro's bottom lip, and Jushiro gave it a light peck, smiling.
"Why are you always so against them? They do have their moments-"
"Which is all the damned time."
"-but really, they're good at what they do." Jushiro nuzzled Kenpachi's chest, leaving fleeting kisses all over. "You worry too much."
"Cheh." Kenpachi rolled over to bury his face in Jushiro's abdomen, deeply breathing in the scent of his clothes. The man smelled so damn nice all the time. "Shut up, wanna rest my eyes a while. 'Chiru's been pokin' 'em on the way here. Wanted me t'focus on candy when I was tryin'a find the right way."
Jushiro knew that that was just an excuse. A shinigami like Zaraki Kenpachi didn't need to "rest their eyes", but he kept his mouth shut anyways. It was rare to have him here like this, sitting together with him in peace. He was always busy trying to attend to Yachiru's demands, going off to beat up his underlings, or napping in his own division in the afternoons with the child dozing off on his chest.
It was precious, the way the large man curled up and went to sleep with his head in Jushiro's lap. One wouldn't have thought him to be the fearsome captain of the Eleventh, but then again, many people didn't know the odd mechanics of his mind. Jushiro himself still hadn't figured it out, but he was content with what he got to see.
The older captain bent down and planted a kiss on his lover's temple, knowing that he'd cherish this moment forever, till the flowers of the cherry blossom trees withered and browned, till the next autumn arrived, followed by another – till death claimed him, he'd cherish it.