Written for 5 Prompts on LJ.
Table: 25
Prompts: # 1 - Lies will lock you up
Beloved
When one sees their beloved going around with another person beside them, bodies too close together to imply that they were nothing but companions, one would inevitably feel the sudden urge to beat that other person into a pulp.
In Kyoraku Shunsui's case, he settled for downing bottles upon bottles of sake. The warmth that spread throughout his body whenever he swallowed was most satisfying, but, in spite of that, there was just something in the deepest, darkest corner of his heart that insisted on plaguing him with thoughts of murder. There was nothing he could do to help it. Since he was a peace-loving, honourable man who would stop at nothing to uphold the laws of the Seireitei set forth by his very own teacher, his only option was to stock up on sake and gobble it down whenever he so much as felt a prickling sensation within his chest.
Shunsui was now at the Ugendo, relaxing on the balcony overlooking Jushiro's magnificent garden. If he were to make a comparison, the Ukitake family manor's garden was much more beautiful.
He loved to observe the way Jushiro trimmed his beloved bonsai, how his deft hands handled the little trees, and the look of concentration that settled on his face appealed to Shunsui as much as his smile charmed him.
Tipping his head back, Shunsui gulped down a whole cup of tea, scalding his tongue in the process, but he didn't care. The pain that he felt within his chest, like the garden, was nothing compared to his stinging tongue. He was waiting for Jushiro, and had been for nearly an hour. The man was never late to appointments, especially one concerning Shunsui, but this had been going on for quite some time now since Jushiro began seeing a certain captain of the Eleventh Division.
Shunsui had suspected Jushiro's involvement with Zaraki since the start. Despite his tendency to be half-drunk most of the time, Shunsui was alert enough to catch the subtle hints that both men sent to each other. During the captains' meetings, Jushiro's eyes would dart over to the other man, and when Zaraki gave an outburst, he would be the one there, squeezing his arm to calm him down and using his free hand to clutch at his haori to pull him back.
In spite of all this, and the way it made Shunsui felt inside, he kept his mouth shut. Every so often, when he saw Jushiro and Zaraki, with the little pink bob hanging onto his back, strolling through the Seireitei together during the evenings, he had to fight the urge to throw an empty sake bottle at the coarse captain. The battle that raged within him would go on until he caught sight of Jushiro's face, happy and contented, his smile wider and laughter louder than usual, his anger would dissipate only to be replaced with a sudden emptiness.
The sudden pounding of footsteps along the balcony made Shunsui open his eyes, and when he turned to look for the source, he was greeted with none other than the man of his musings, doubled over and breathless.
"Hey there, Jushiro." Shunsui hid his suspicions, lifting his empty teacup in a toast with a grin instead.
"I'm...sorry I'm...late, Shunsui!" Jushiro dropped to his knees and started to cough up a fit. With a sigh, Shunsui went over and rubbed his back soothingly, lifting the man's white hair out of his face.
Once Jushiro gained control over his own system once more, he straightened up, smoothing the front of his wrinkled shihakusho, and that was when Shunsui noticed the fresh bruise on his collarbone. Though small and slight in colour, it was visible enough to imply what he had been up to all this while.
And, as Jushiro went on to relay the spar with Zaraki and events involving a hot shower, followed closely by another wrestle in bed, Shunsui pulled a tight smile and kept reminding himself, lying to himself, that he felt nothing for the stunning man before him.