Chapter 2

Kira

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, only this plot.

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Kira walked quietly through what had once been his Captain's private quarters, wiping away the gathering dust.

Certain rooms were simple, others lavish, and everywhere he looked he could feel Captain Ichimaru's presence. Izuru could see dried prints from where his Captain had walked barefoot out of the bath, or one or two long silver hairs floating around the room in the cold light of morning.

His scent—a musky odor reminiscent of sea-salt—persisted. Kira had been at Captain Ichimaru's side long enough that the scent was unmistakable.

He inhaled the smell through his nose and exhaled slowly, remembering his Captain's pleased smile. Shaking his head, he continued on his tour.

Finally he reached the room he had been trying to avoid: Captain Ichimaru's bedroom. He gingerly slid the door open and stepped into the room.

The room was undoubtedly designed for seduction: the Western bed was large with red sheets and pillows. In fact, the pillows almost took up the entire poster bed. Kira drew nearer. The mattress was, thankfully, unremarkable enough. It was obvious his Captain had gone through a lot of troubleto get the bed exactly as he had wanted. Kira blushed.

Pulling back the sheets, Kira was bombarded by his Captain's scent again…and a different aroma underneath the Captain's aura. It was an odd concoction of vanilla and grasses, and when combined with Captain Ichimaru's scent reminded him of the sea.

It was when Kira noticed and picked up a long black hair from one of the pillows and examined it closely that he realized whose head it had fallen from.

Rukia Kuchiki…

He remembered the way Captain Ichimaru would spoil the girl, giving her chocolates and books to read in the beginning, and then would later go to great lengths to "save her from grief", as Gin put it. Kira remembered accidentally witnessing the first time the two had shared a bed, seeing only Rukia's delicate hand on a red pillow. Pleasure, Kira remembered, played a large role in Captain Ichimaru's relationships—but never at such a level as it had with Rukia.

He remembered his role as Gin and Rukia passed letters in "secret code" to each other through the years as he dutifully carried them back and forth, rather disconcerted by how easy it was to decipher them. Rukia's eyes would brighten ever so slightly when Kira handed her the letter of the day, and there were many times that Kira thought of "accidentally" losing Rukia's reply, if only to protect her.

But Kira's loyalty was too strong for that.

And now she was…

Kira suddenly swiveled around in the direction of a faint, familiar Spiritual Pressure as it flash-stepped out of Soul Society and into the outskirts of the lowest district of Rukongai.

Hinamori? But it's only been three weeks! She can't be leaving the infirmary—

Quickly Kira followed her Spiritual Pressure, the guilt he felt for the role he played in Gin's deception subsiding for just a moment.