This pairing is so cute. There should be more of it.

Hundred Hundred Something by Redex

Ukitake Jyuushiro sighed at himself in the mirror and poked his high-boned and pale face with an inquisitive finger. The fact that he was getting another year older bothered him, not that he could remember exactly which birthday this was. They say once you pass two hundred it's too late to bother.

He was greeted, as usual, by the sound of his co-second officers arguing outside his door over whether or not to wake him up. He was usually awake before they started their morning shouting match, but even if he wasn't he would be by the time that they finished.

With a final sigh and a rough cough, he stood up and pulled on his captain's jacket, just in time to greet his over-enthusiastic subordinantes.

"Good morning, captain! May I be the first to wish you yet another happy year!"

"I won the rock, paper, sissors, I was supposed to go first!"

"Shut up, short bratty, it's whoever gets there first!"

"Well, let me be the one to tell you that you are looking especially good today, Captain Ukitake, and that you will surely have a fantastic, amazing and beautiful year, with me by your side!"

"And me!"

"Not you, jerkwad! You are too slow!"

"Who's slow, hunh! Don't talk that way to your superiors!"

"Superior, who's superior! I am the second in command here!"

"You are not, I am!"

Ukitake sighed and smiled a little to himself. As usual. It seemed the world was not going to end just because it was an old fart's birthday.

---

Ukitake was a little dissapointed in himself when he didn't sense Kyuraku's presence untill he could smell his heavy cologne and omniprescent flower petals.

"Jyuushiro."

Kyoraku looked handsome, as always, and Ukitake realized that he had escaped his vice-captains' watchful eyes yet again.

"Yet another year older, hm?"

"Sometimes I wonder if my illness tells me I never should have lived this long," he replied quietly, opening his eyes to blink at the bright blue sky behind the tree leaves.

"Now, now, don't say that."

Kyoraku's easy good humor always managed to lift Ukitake's spirits, even when he was feeling particularly ill. But today, on the day that he should be the most cheerful, he only felt like sulking like a petulant child.

"Jyuu."

He was forced to look at his long-time friend when that nickname was used. It was a private name. No one else, no matter how much they liked the captain, would call him such an informal title. Kyoraku had respect enough not to use it in public, but that was all.

Deep brown eyes met his gaze.

Kyoraku's lips were soft, like flower-petals, with the roughness of his half-beard around it. It was a familiar kiss, an old carress, but still warmed Ukitake's body and soul.

His breath lingered in that spot when Shunsui left, and his eyes fluttered open lazily a few moments late. Kyoraku's big, rough hand brushed his cheek and slid into his hair, cupping his cheek lightly.

"Shunsui," he breathed. "I feel old."

"Don't," Kyoraku replied quickly. "Because then that means I'll have to feel old too."

"Besides," he mumbled against Ukitake's lips a little while later. "You're still the most georgious thing in Soul Society, except for me."

Ukitake liked being able to laugh at the sky, and prayed desperately that he would still have that ability in another hundred years. Whenever that was.

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