Title: Silver and Gold
Rating: PG-13
Paiting: Kyōraku/Ukitake
Warnings: Fluff (heh!)
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Bleach - however, I do own many of the wrongs :D
Word Count: 2,801
Summary: Kyōraku helps his friend recover from his latest illness, but things don't end up quite as planned.
Ukitake Jūshirō, long-standing Captain of the 13th squad of the Gotei 13 sighed in frustration at the pile of papers on his desk, which seemed to grow each time he looked away. In a rare moment of annoyance, he looked at the ever-growing mountain and scowled.
"Wind changes you'll stay like that!"
The words made him jump, almost sending the pile of carefully collated papers flying, and the scowl deepened as he looked to where the voice had come from.
"Kyōraku-taicho, aren't you meant to be working in your own division's office as opposed to coming and annoying me in mine?" Ukitake said, half-annoyed, as he looked over to the window where his friend was standing where only his face and huge hat was visible through the opening.
"Ah, Nanao-chan is taking care of duties at present – we're quite at ease over there right now." He looked over to the table – at least that's what he thought it was underneath the pile of papers covering the surface. "Oh," was all he said.
Ukitake followed his friend's gaze and sighed. "Yeah. Work has been piling up since my last illness… Kotetsu and Kotsubaki have done their best in my absence but, well, as you can see…" He cast a mournful gaze over the documents.
"Hmm," Kyōraku said, as a grin started to spread across his face. "I know what we should do!"
Ukitake shook his head. "Oh no – whatever you're thinking, the answer is no." He waved a pen at him in a vaguely threatening manner. "I know what you get up to when you're bored and I'm too old and wise to get involved now!"
Kyōraku all but pouted.
"And you can stop that too. I'm immune to all your powers of persuasion. Anyways, a man of your age shouldn't pout – it's most unbecoming!" Ukitake said, trying to get back to work.
Kyōraku rolled his eyes. "Man, now you sound like Kuchiki-taicho - don't tell me you're becoming as boring as him in your old age?" he jibed, and Ukitake sighed.
"You aren't going to go away, are you?" He asked, already knowing the answer but still being pointlessly hopeful.
"Nope!" Kyōraku replied, cheerfully.
The 13th squad captain stood up and smoothed out the wrinkles in his uniform as he walked over to the window and leant against the wall.
"OK, what do I have to do to get you to go away?" he asked.
Kyōraku frowned. "That's not a very nice way to treat your oldest friend! Anyway, it's simple. You just have to come out to play!"
Ukitake looked confused. "Come out to… play? Don't you think we are a little old for that, Shunsui?"
He got a shake of the head in return. "That is exactly why we should go out and play! It is a beautiful spring afternoon, the sun is high, the blossom is out and you deserve to be spoiled after your recent illness." His voiced dropped a little as he became more serious. "I know this episode was particularly difficult."
Ukitake lowered his eyes. It was true, his recent setback had been the worst in a long time, and he had been out of commission for many weeks. Just the thought of leaving his squad without its captain for any length of time had made him frustrated and eager to get back.
"Fine, ok… say I come "out to play" with you – will you leave me alone afterwards?" Ukitake said, cautiously.
"I will do more than that," Kyōraku said, smiling. "I'll even help you finish your work!"
Ukitake raised an eyebrow. "Help me finish? I'm not sure if that's meant to make me accept or refuse your offer, but I'm assuming the former." He sighed, softly. "Go on, then – but just for a short while. I can't be seen to be shirking my responsibilities after being away for so long!"
The 8th Division captain grinned, and Ukitake couldn't help but laugh. "You really are a big kid, aren't you? Ok then…" he turned to put on the white haori that had been hanging on the back of the chair. Sliding it on in one fluid movement, he reached up to pull his long white hair free of the material, and smoothed it down. "I'll meet you outside in a moment," he said, and with that, he was gone.
Kyōraku nodded to himself in satisfaction and then turned to make his way around the building.
…
"So, where are we going?" Ukitake asked, for the third time, and for the third time he got the same answer.
"You'll see soon enough."
He rolled his eyes in annoyance, which only made his friend chuckle. "You never did like to have secrets kept from you! I remember the one time I tried to throw a surprise party for you…"
"Well, it was your fault for acting all suspicious around me! I wouldn't have had to follow you if you hadn't been sneaking around all over the place!" Ukitake said, defensively, as he strode on ahead down the dirt path round the outside of Seireitei.
Kyōraku snorted with amusement. "So you're blaming me for the fact you're a nosy guy who doesn't trust his friends?" Ukitake turned round, mouth open to reply and then shut it quickly when he saw the grin on the other man's face.
"Sometimes I don't know what I see in you," he mumbled, turning around, embarrassed.
"Ah, that's easy - you think I'm handsome, clever, witty and sexy!" and laughed at the flush that crept up his friends face, the deep-red standing out in stark contrast to his pale hair.
Ukitake went to open his mouth to say something in return, and then closed it before anything came out as he realized where they were.
"Shunsui, we're… we can't go here!" he said, voice slightly shocked as he recognized the pathway. "This is near the Kuchiki forest!"
The other captain smiled. "I'm well aware of this. I'm glad you remember though – it's been a long while since we snuck into through the border to go walking in the wood!"
"That's because we're actually adults now – and captains – and know we shouldn't go sneaking around trespassing on the land of one of the most powerful Noble families in Seireitei!"
Kyōraku just laughed and kept walking along the track. Suddenly, he veered off into the undergrowth, and disappeared from view. Ukitake frowned and walked faster until he reached the edge of the path himself. He paused for a second, and a voice came from the trees.
"Do you remember the first time we came here?"
Ukitake stopped and smiled, his eyes lighting up at the memory. "How could I forget? Hah, I thought we were just going for an evening stroll…"
"We were."
"We might've been at first. But it wasn't just the flora and fauna of the Kuchiki gardens that you were wanting to get your hands on, was it?" Ukitake challenged, as he made his way into the bushes, frowning slightly as his haori caught occasionally on branches.
A laugh came from up ahead. "You always were slow, Jūshirō!"
"Except when working in class against you, Shunsui!" he grinned as he made his way through the undergrowth into a clearing. He had lost sight of his friend, but he paused and looked around for a moment, the surrounding trees covered in bright green shoots and the grass underfoot just starting to grow thick and heavy lit up by the thin rays of sunshine that managed to pierce through the heavy canopy. He closed his eyes and breathed in.
"Knew you'd like it." The words from behind him made him jump, and he opened his eyes. Before he could say anything, two strong arms encircled his waist, hands clasped at the front just below his stomach and he shivered as he felt a soft breath on the back of his neck.
"As long as you don't say 'I told you so,'" Ukitake warned, still smiling as he tilted his head back. All he could see was the brim of his friend's very large hat, but that was good enough. He sighed deeply. "Ah, I feel better than I have done in so long."
"Told you so!"
"Damn you!" Ukitake spun round and playfully pushed Kyōraku. Unfortunately, although the strength hadn't been strong, the other man hadn't been expecting it. The movement knocked him off balance and he began to fall backwards, and out of reflex, he reached out to grab hold of whatever he could to keep himself upright – which regrettably was the slightly built 13th division captain.
Both of them fell to the ground – Kyōraku on the hard earth, which winded him slightly, and Ukitake on top of him, which winded him even more.
"Ah!" was all he managed to get out, as his hat fell off.
Ukitake rushed to get up, trying to get himself off his friend and untangle his limbs from the folds of his hakama, though failing badly on both accounts. He had just about managed to get one foot free when he felt hands reach up and grasp the front of his jacket.
"Stop. I rather like you on top." Kyōraku said, attempting to grin while still catching his breath. Ukitake went to retaliate, then thought again and held his tongue. He placed his hands on the ground, and finally managed to untangle his legs from the layers of material to slide his own legs in between his friends'. The grass was cool against the skin that was exposed where his hakama had ridden up and he held up his upper body with his arms so that their faces were inches apart.
Kyōraku frowned slightly. "Don't strain yourself too much, Shirō-san. I don't want to be the cause of a relapse!"
Ukitake smiled at the nickname and shook his head, long white hair spilling over his shoulders and into his friends face, who reached up to brush them away, pausing to twist a few strands round his fingers thoughtfully.
"You know, I've always loved your hair, Jūshirō." He said, distractedly. Ukitake blinked, taken aback.
"My hair...? All my hair does is show how ill and weak I really am… it's like telling it to everyone who sees me that my body is broken…" he trailed off and lowered his head, could feel the flush of embarrassment start to creep up his face. It was something he rarely admitted to anyone – even himself – but his hair was just a constant reminder to himself that he would never be truly whole.
Kyōraku shook his head. "No. Your hair is your beacon of achievement." Ukitake looked up at this, surprised. "It tells people that you are strong and determined; that you don't give up easily or turn back when things get hard… and that is why I love your hair. And you." He sat up slightly, just enough to bring their lips together, and he was relieved to feel his friend soften to his kiss.
He broke contact and lay back onto the earth, smiling as Ukitake sat up to kneel between his legs and looked up at the skt, squinting at the sun.
"We really should go."
"Oh, man – you're such a spoilsport!" Kyōraku declared, rolling his eye in mock annoyance. Ukitake laughed.
"Well, if you want to be the ones explaining to my Third seats why you stole me away for hours the day after I return to work, then go ahead – otherwise, I really should get back to my work." He looked down, caught his friends' eye, and grinned. "But, if it counts for anything, I really don't want to."
Kyōraku grinned back. "Well, that makes two of us… but I have to get you back. Truth be told, I'm a little scared of Kotetsu and Kotsubaki – I think they believe I mistreat you or something and they're just waiting to catch me in the act to save you from my evil clutches!"
Ukitake nodded, trying to keep a straight face. "You do, indeed, have evil clutches."
They both burst out laughing.
"Come on," Ukitake said, as he rose to his feet, smoothing down his haori and adjusting his hakama. "Goodness knows what might happen if we were discovered here playing truant!" he reached down to offer a hand to his friend.
"Fine, fine," Kyōraku said in response, as he got himself to his feet and looked around in confusion for his hat. Spying it half-covered by a nearby bush and he walked over to rescue it. "Ah, sorry" he said to his hat as he bent it back into place, fitted it firmly back on his head and made to set off back the way they had come.
Ukitake threw one last glance over his shoulder to what he had come to think of as their secret place, and set off after the other captain, humming tunelessly as he went.
…
The next day started with a mercifully short captain's meeting first thing, and followed by each of them retiring to their squad barracks to deal with any related business.
Ukitake was pleasantly surprised that the majority of the paperwork had been dealt with by his third seats – while not completely organized, it had been divided into importance, which made it a less arduous task to undertake. The day passed slowly but uneventfully, and he was just about to tackle the last of the day's reports when a knock sounded.
"Come in," he replied, quite welcome of the break. The door swung open and a familiar pink kimono swept in.
"Evening," Kyōraku said, touching his hat in greeting. Ukitake smiled.
"You have good timing," the 13th Division captain said, as he lay down his pen. "I am almost finished here, and I think I deserve a reward for getting through all this!" he gestured to the piles of paperwork surrounding him, neatly sorted into their relevant piles.
Kyōraku raised an eyebrow. "Who said anything about rewards?" He waggled an eyebrow mischievously. "I might be here to punish you!"
Ukitake rolled his eyes and was about to say something when there was another knock on the door. They exchanged puzzled looks, to which Kyōraku shrugged and Ukitake nodded before calling out for the visitor to come in.
The door opened for a second time that evening, and a young recruit came in. The boy was wearing a 6th squad insignia, and he stood around by the door, slightly confused as to why there were two captains in the office and more than a little overwhelmed.
"Hi, come on it!" Ukitake called out, waving him in. "Don't stand out by the door!"
The boy nodded in acceptance, and came into the room, pushing the door to as he did. He approached the desk cautiously and bowed low.
"U-Ukitake-taicho, I have a gift from Kuchiki-taicho!" he said quickly, his voice betraying his apprehension as he presented a small parcel, wrapped up with a note around it. The boy placed it on the desk in front of him, and then bowed again.
Ukitake looked at the small parcel with a confused expression, then up at the boy.
"Thank you… what is your name?"
The young recruit looked up nervously and swallowed. "Yamada Tarō, Ukitake-taicho"
Ukitake nodded. "Very well, Yamada-kun. Thank you."
The boy nodded, and bowed once more before turning around and all but running out the office, closing the door behind him a little too heavily.
Kyōraku laughed. "My my… you know we're getting old when we can scare the young 'uns like that!"
The other man nodded distractedly as he picked up the parcel. "Strange," he muttered to himself as he un-wrapped the parcel. He unfolded the paper around it, and smoothed it out and began to read, the look of intrigue turning quickly to shock. His usually pale complexion went even more so as he quickly picked up the parcel and undid the packaging. He reached in, pulled out a large, iron key, and took one look at it before slumping down in his chair, head in his hands.
Kyōraku looked at his friend in worry. "Jūshirō..?" he started, to which his friend just pointed to the letter in front of him, not lifting his head from his hands.
"I blame this for you entirely," the 13th division captain said, his voice muffled.
Kyōraku reached out to the paper on the desk, smoothed it out and began to read. As his eyes scanned down the page, his expression went from confusion to amusement and eventually slight embarrassment. He took a deep breath, put the paper down, and started to plan the ways he could make up for this to his friend.
...
Ukitake- and Kyōraku-taicho, Please award yourselves the respect expected of a captain, and next time use the gate. Kuchiki-taicho
...