Three days.

Three, long, hot dry days.

I silently walked next to the Taichou of Eleventh Divison, knowing that if I didn't I would probably be kidnapped or worse in a matter of moments. Where are we, you may be wondering- weill to answer that I am currently in lala land trying to pretend that I was not in 80th distirct, that it was not hot, and that it was raining. I was failing miserably. Zaraki had purchased some thin summer clothes after our second day out in the Roukongai Districts, so we weren't boiling in our shinigami robes, but still it was HOT. That there was a drought, didnt help either. People were everywhere, on the side of the road starving, calling for water, or drinking their butts off at taverns as they struggled against the unmoving heat. I suppose it could have been worse. But Im not the type of person who always looks on the bright side of things.

I will have to admit one thing- okay well two things actually. The first, Zaraki had good taste in yukatas, he had brought his old one (smart man) and had bought a light blue one that that blue sakura on it. It felt nice, light and much more breathable than the shinigami robes, but at the same time it constricted me, limiting my movements so that my running looked more like a light jog. The second thing, and the most shocking, is that I thought Zaraki looked.. handsome, with his hair down. That is to say, he didn't look quite so scary, though he's never once dropped his 'fight me and I'll win' air or said much of anythign to me.

The journey had been silent, between us. I still hadn't heard about what we- or as he put it ealier- what he's doing that requires my being nearby. Maybe I will ask him tonight.

"Oi." The rough voice, of Zaraki Taichou killed my thoughts, and I looked up at him, and then ran into him, havving not noticed that he'd stopped.

"H-hai." I stuttered, backing a bit away from him.

"Pay attention to whats going on around you." I swallowed, and nodded. "H-hai. gomenasai."

"Hn." He looked at me, and I suddenly realized how tiny I was compared to this man.

A scream tore the air and we both looked towards the sound. Hollows. An entire flipping group of em. So this was why we were out here.

Zaraki grinned and unsheathed his sword, "Wait here." There he went. I sighed, I swear it's like he's metal and fights are like one big old magnet. I watched as Zaraki easily finished off the group of hollows, not even exterting himself. He was well grounded, and much like Ikkaku's sword style, very straightforward. There was no lie, no feinting, just one attack after another. I jogged up to him after the last hollow disappeared into spirit particles. Zaraki looked bored. "Let's go."

I followed him, realizing somthing. He seemed lonely. Without little pink-haired Yachiru, Zaraki Kenpachi's broad shoulders seemed empty and something about his aura was different, more serious.. I guess. Silently I quickened my pace and felll in step beside him. He wasn't going to hurt me, I knew this and so together we exited out of the main village of the 80th disrtict and walked into the outskirts. Here there were the occasional houses that would just suddenly appear, then just as easily disappear. Homes either long abandoned, or used by bandits. We ran into a few more hollows, nothing Zaraki couldn't handle. A one point he was hit, and after he finished the dern thing off, I walked over, my hands already glowing with the kido I was intending to use.

"Dont."

I blinked in surprise, then frowned, "Taichou I need to heal that."

"No you dont. Now lets go." He turned away, begining to walk in the direction we'd been heading for the past few days.

"NO." I said, stubbornly.

He looked over his shoulder at me, a smirk appearing on his face, "Eh? You wanna fight then?"

"I am here for a reason Taichou, and if Im not here for helaing than what good am I. Now let me heal that before it gets infected, turns green, and then incapitates you for days." He turned and walked over looking down at me. I returned his power stare, with my own. If there was one thing I was always strong about, it was healing others.

"Tch. Hurry up."

I tried not to smile at my victory, and silently went to work. Placeing my hand over the cut, I murmured the right words, and the kido soared over his arm, and into it, mending the slightly injured muscle, and the the skin. The whole thing was done in less time than it took for us to argue over it. Zaraki looked at his arm, and I silently waited through his own self examination. There was no sign that he'd been injured at all, not even a scar, one of the reasons i liked that specific kido, although it only worked for minor wounds. He grunted and then continued on. I mentally gave myself a pat on the back, and the ogged to caught up with tall man.

We walked for the rest of the day- the only reliefe we recieved throughout the day was when the sun set, and the world around us cooled. The forest was even coller, but still remained at a comfortable temperature. I yawned, and Zaraki stopped, stooping a little. "Get on."

"Eh?" I looked at his back, my eyes wide.

"I need to run, and you're holding me back so get on."

It was an order, I would've refused or at least tried to, but my sleepiness was making my brain a bit slow. Silently I climbed onto his back, wrapping my arms around his neck. Zaraki stood and took off. The trees sped by us and for a moment I allowed myself the luxury of enjoying being carried. I dont know when it did but at somepoint my head rested on his shoulder and my eyes closed in a slow blink. Why did his arms feel so familiar?

I woke once, feeling heat. Zaraki had stopped, and had somehow made a fire, and placed me down on one side of it. He laid on the ground, nearby, his eyes closed, even as his body raidiated awareness. "Go back to sleep." His golden orbs looked at me, and I merely smiled and closed my eyes once more.

Maybe this would turn out better than I thought.