Authors note: Small disclaimer - there's mild drug use, obviously I do not advise drugs in the same way I wouldn't advise taking a katana to cut someone up. Haha… :')

I also don't advise wandering in naked on someone…

(The low down: It's just a story.)

Chapter 21. The Lake.

Jin kept a small distance for several days from her Captain…since she healed him, since that kiss happened. She didn't ignore him, but she did make sure that she wasn't left alone with him. Her mind was in whirl, she realised how much she'd fallen for him but she was still terrified of her feelings.

Currently, she was laid back in her bed, it was evening and her mind felt like it was slowly wandering now…but it was calm, joyful…it felt almost clear…

Her thoughts were interrupted by a strange sound, Is that a…gong…? No…no that's not it…ooooh someone's at my door.

Kenpachi was stood waiting, wondering why she was taking so damn long. He wanted to talk to her again since that night, but she always managed to slip away before he got the chance. The door opened.

"Captain! What a surprise...you look…reeeeeally tall today." Jin spoke surprised.

Kenpachi cocked his head, "The hell you talkin' about? What's up with you?"

Jin was looking right at him, except she wasn't, it was more like she was looking through him.

"Wait…are you high or somethin'?" He interrogated.

Jin looked away sheepishly.

"Well? Are you?"

"Err…nooooo." She denied then shrugged slightly, "Maybe a little…"

"Dammit Jin! You need to stop that shit." He scolded.

She contested, "It's all clean! It's just a little…from Akon, its coooool."

Kenpachi frowned, "I don't care where it's from, it's still messing with your head."

She heard about the affects of hallucinogenics, how they could help give clarity. Though admittedly, she heard a lot of musicians and artists in the World of the Living took them, and it sounded pretty fun and interesting. She managed to persuade Akon of Squad 12 to create something similar as an 'experiment'. He'd made them a couple times before today for her to try, and though Akon's drugs were relatively made harmless they still concerned Kenpachi. This was still the ever-experimental Squad 12 we're talking about…

Jin was a self-destructive type of character. She wanted to live fast and to it's limit. It often led to regrettable choices and impulsive decisions, which was not a particularly good way to be. Part of her was trying to change, to think things through, but temptation often won. She was always chasing for a feeling, she found it difficult to just be happy. Jin always wanted more. There was a discontentment in her that Kenpachi could sense. It bothered him, he wasn't sure why it did, but it did.

"Do me a favour, don't do it again." Kenpachi told her sternly.

"I can seeeeeee your feeeeeliiings..." Jin giggled, "There's all these little hearts floating...there...and there...oh! And there-"

"You're a real pain in the ass Jin." He chided, biting on his anger.

He made sure to keep an eye on her for the rest of that evening, listening to her talk nonsensically about colours and shit for half the night. The other half she was mostly just dancing carefree listening to that damn awful music.

The whole time, Kenpachi just sat on her couch irritated thinking to himself, What the hell am I even doing here?

Maybe he kind of understood how she felt, always chasing and never satisfied…and a little lonely too.

—

A few days past since then, and things between the Captain and Jin were a little awkward but getting better again. Seems 'nearly passionate' encounters followed by periods of embarrassment was becoming an unfortunate pattern for the two. It was summer now, and Jin's day off. The sun was shining high in the sky and it was hot! She decided to go for a walk to a lake, she knew just the perfect one to go visit.

Kenpachi was bored again, a common occurrence. Yachiru was off playing somewhere, giving someone a rough time too most likely. So as usual in this scenario, he set off to see what Jin was up to. He checked out her living quarters first, then the barracks, followed by all her usual haunts in the shopping district and various bars. Nothing.

The Captain gave a heavy sigh trying to think where she'd be, If she's not here then there's only one place left.

He trailed out to Rukongai, There it is. He thought to himself.

The Captain was pretty awful for detecting and tracking spiritual pressure, but he wasn't all that bad with people he knew well. Kenpachi followed his instinct to where she would be, feeling her spiritual pressure get stronger as he did so. The summer heat beat down on his high shoulders as he headed towards the place they had their first picnic together, that place with the cherry tree. As he got nearer, he could see the sun's rays reflect and shimmer off the lake, which made him a little blind. Closer, closer, the rays began to ease off from blinding his vision. He saw a figure in the water, a silhouette…

It was Jin. In the lake, naked.

Only her back was visible, as she was turned away and waist deep into the water. But she looked so alluring. The water droplets on her skin glittered from the light dancing around her. Her hair was pulled up into a loose bun exposing her fine neck, complementing the lines of the rest of her body. Kenpachi stood with his mouth gaping slightly, it wasn't often he felt so entranced by a woman.

If only she'd turned round…

He wanted to see her fully. He wanted to see the soft pink peaks of her breasts. He wanted to go in and grab her for himself and taste that forbidden fruit. Her fruit.

During his fixation, Jin's heart lurched from sensing his presence. She dove into the water neck deep and spun round to meet his hungry gaze.

"KENPACHI?!" Jin shrieked, "How long you been stood there!?"

"Che, I just got here!" He tilted his head to try and sneak a peek, "Why you hiding yourself anyway? I want to see."

Her face blushed, "You snuck up on me!"

Kenpachi defended himself grinning, "I just got distracted a moment is all, wasn't trying to be sneaky about it."

Jin's heart fluttered, admittedly she kind of liked the thought of him staring at her, filled with lust. She looked down at the water, trying to avert his gaze.

The Captain tried to push his luck, "You gonna come out to see me then?"

"Obviously not, I'm naked." She said rigidly.

"Why's that?"

"It's a nice day, the lake is relaxing…and it was private."

"Don't you want to come out and have some fun? I'm bored." He replied temptingly.

Jin frowned, "I'm not moving."

A little frustrated, Kenpachi sighed, trying to figure out his next move. He then chuckled.

His voice lowered as he took a hand to his top robe, "Well, in that case…"

Jin stared, pausing briefly.

"…What are you doing?" She asked nervously.

"What does it look like?" He laughed, "If you're not gonna come out…then I'm coming in!"

Jin's eyes widened in horror, "NO YOU'RE NOT."

"Well it's like you said! It's such a nice day, be a shame to waste it now...wouldn't it?" He said, taking great delight in teasing her.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE." She pointed at him feebly, trying to enforce authority, "This is sexual harassment!"

He took off the top of his robe already, throwing it down on the grass. Next, he started to work the bells out of his hair.

"What we up to anyway…58 or something?" He asked curiously, referring to Jin's '100 dates' idea.

He took it quite seriously, unlike Jin.

"KENPACHI!" She shouted hysterically as she witnessed her Captain begin to tug at the tie on the bottom-half of his robe.

"Go on, have a look…" He looked right at her, not breaking his gaze, "I'm not shy."

"Dammit…" She squeaked, turning around. "You. Fucking. Moron-"

Jin continued to mutter obscenities under her breath as he took off the rest of his robe.

She could hear the fabric rustle and fall onto the ground…He's doing it. He's actually coming in. HE'S STRIPPED. Jin blushed harder at the thought.

Kenpachi slowly submerged himself into the water, dunking his head underneath to wet his hair, allowing it to hang naturally on his shoulders. Coming back up, he shook his head a bit like a wet dog to rid the water from his eyes. Jin hesitantly turned around to see him. Seeing him wet like that with the sun shining brightly, his strong physique looked magnificent…He not only took his bells off but his eye patch too. It was strange seeing him dressed down again, like when she first met him. He met her far-away stare, beginning to feel a little self-conscious.

"What?" Kenpachi asked simply.

"Seeing you like that, it's quite nostalgic." She breathed.

He cocked his head, "How so?"

"You! Without the eye patch or the dumb hair!" Jin said exasperated.

"EH?! What's wrong with my hair?!" He barked defensively.

"Wrong with it? The real question is what's right with it!?" She retorted.

"Now that's just rude…" He stated.

"I'M RUDE?" Jin was in disbelief, "You just wandered in butt naked on me!"

He rolled his eyes, "Tch, like you really care."

The two stood opposite, facing each other at a small distance. Kenpachi got this far without thinking what would happen next, he started to feel a little awkward. So, naturally, he decided to make it more awkward. He wandered over nearer to her so they were stood side by side. Jin stood frozen, unsure where to put herself or what to do. Thankfully, the water did a good job obscuring their naked bodies so neither of them could really see each other. So that helped things a little at least…

Kenpachi looked at the reflection of them both on the water, taking note of their different statures. Deciding it would at least make for some conversation.

"I forget how small you are." He mused.

Jin laughed a little, "No, you're just a giant."

The Captain laughed softly before turning serious for a moment.

"Hey Jin...would we even work?" He asked a little shy, "As in...well, you know..."

"You mean…?" They shared a look knowingly as Jin spoke, "Are you talking about height being an issue or…?"

He stumbled his words a little, "Well I mean, I'm big and you're so small so...I mean height isn't really-"

Jin cut him off, "Geez, what monster are you hiding under there?"

Kenpachi grinned back at her, "You can always look. I won't mind."

"No thank you."

"Go on, take a peek." He urged her on, "Don't you draw naked guys in your spare time?"

"That's different! It's art and they're not my Captain!" She argued back.

"Tch. If you say so…"

"So...how big is it?" She asked, looking away from him.

Kenpachi blinked in surprise, "Huh? It's not like I measured it or somethin'!"

Jin gestured at him, "Just use your hands."

"I mean I suppose..." He brought his hands up to demonstrate, before asking, "Wait, do we mean when it's up or...?"

"Of course up, you idiot!" She spat.

"Well then…probably around that." He spoke with his hands showing a distance.

Jin stared, "...You sure?"

That seems doable. She thought guiltily (and a little relieved) to herself.

"Yeah I'm sure!" Kenpachi said defiantly, "I mean my hand fits about that so-"

"Alright, I don't need to know anymore!" She called holding out her hand to stop him.

Jin then turned back at him, "...Actually, no I do, what about girth?"

Kenpachi bared his teeth, smiling triumphantly, "Ha! Why you want to know so bad?"

She started to blush again, despite attempting to look unfazed, "Got this far...can't help being curious..."

The Captain laughed mockingly, "Just give me your hand..."

"…"

Her stony silence made him wince a little, "Was that too far?"

"Just a bit." She affirmed.

He rubbed the back of his neck a little embarrassed, "…Sorry."

They spent time together in the water talking for a while, taking in the sunshine and appreciating the warm summer breeze. Jin looked down at her hands, noticing they were starting to wrinkle from all of the moisture.

"I think it's probably time to go home now." She looked over to Kenpachi, "Can you turn round…?"

"No, no, I've been waiting for this." He jested.

Jin narrowed her eyes at him.

"Fine. I'll turn around." He sighed.

"Promise you won't look till I say so?" She asked anxiously.

Kenpachi snapped, "Look, I promise alright?"

"Ok..." She sounded a little unsure.

Jin waved her hand, signalling for him to turn around. Kenpachi grunted in annoyance, but did as she wished. She walked backwards out of the lake, keeping a firm watch on her Captain, she was not going to tolerate a single peek. She slightly tripped as the back of her feet reached the end of the lake, landing softly onto the blanket she brought with her. To her surprise, Kenpachi was still stood patiently looking the other way. Once she was all dried off and dressed back in her casual robes, she called out to him.

"I'll not look either, I promise."