It had been weeks since Captain Ichimaru and I started training; I was still having a hard time keeping track of how much time had passed, calendars didn't exist in the afterlife it seemed.

I was sitting in the dirt trying to catch my breath after the last round. I untied the top of my Shikahusho and had the arms tied around my waist, around the black tank top I wore underneath. I stumbled over to have a sip of water I didn't actually need, and felt eyes following me. I finished drinking and sighed.

"Take a picture, it will last longer." I chided. I heard a laugh from behind me and spun to face him.

"I'm sorry, I think I just like the dirty, rugged look on you. You truly resemble a member of my squad." Gin replied.

"So I didn't resemble one before?" I asked as I took a seat beside him and slid my sleeves back on. He laughed and shrugged. I looked at him through downcast eyes.

"Captain Ichimaru…how did you die? I mean, how did you end up here?" I asked. He looked briefly taken aback for a moment and gave it some thought.

"You know, I was in Rukongai ever since I was a child. I don't remember anything before then.`` Before he could continue, a hell butterfly circled us and landed on his finger. "I have to leave." he stood to leave but I quickly reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Wait!" I looked down at his hand and immediately let go. "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me, Taicho!" I explained frantically as I bowed and blushed. When I looked back up at him, he was staring at me with an unreadable expression.

"I…can tell you the rest later, if you'd like?" he asked. My eyebrows shot up in surprise and I grinned at him.

"I'd like that." I said. He turned and in a flash, he was gone.

I continued my training after he'd left, but didn't make very much progress toward achieving my Bankai. What I did do successfully, however, is hone in on my speed – I was quick as a whip. After deeming my efforts as enough for the day, I headed home, feeling strange that I wasn't absolutely famished. Will I ever be used to being dead?

I stepped out of the shower, towel drying my hair and breathed deep. After all that's happened, I don't think I've taken a single moment to reflect on any of the major after-life events. I slid on my comfiest pair of shorts and a t-shirt before sitting on my small sofa facing the window and my precious peace lily. I had only one house plant. I might not be able to make myself come back to life, but I'll be damned if I don't try it on other things.

I was just about to get comfortable when there was a knock at the door. Unsure of who it could be but assuming it was Renji or Rukia, I opened the door and was met with the face of my captain. I stared at him wide-eyed, looking like a bra-less wet rat with my bright blonde hair sticking to various parts of my face.

"Taicho…"

"Ariswana…" he looked just as horrified as I did, but unbelievably still snuck a peak at my chest. I slammed the door in his face and stood with my back to it.

"Just give me one minute!" I called. Before shutting the door, I noticed that he was dressed in a turquoise button down and black pants. Okay, so not my Shikahusho, then. I went with a black tank top under an oversized green jacket with black denim shorts. Thinking on the fly, I tied my hair back but left my front wisps out. Finally, I popped on the signature top eyeliner and mascara that was my everyday routine in life. Yup, that'll definitely do, glad I remembered how to do that.

I opened the door and nodded once, shutting it behind me and turning to face him.

"Sorry about that, I clearly wasn't expecting company."

"I told you earlier I promised to tell you the rest of my story, didn't I?"

"You weren't very specific about when!" I cried, throwing my hands in the air.

"Is now not a good time?" he teased. I rolled my eyes and started to make my way down the wooden hallway.

"Seems like a good time to me. Where are we off to?" I asked.

"I figured we could just go for a walk, the weather is nicer today." he replied. Talking casually about the weather, even in the afterlife.

We made our way towards a small stone bridge that led over the river and towards an open field with a huge cherry blossom tree standing at its center. When we were halfway across the bridge, Gin stopped and put his forearms on the edge and gazed into the water.

"I don't remember my life before death. I only remember waking up in the Soul Society one day and feeling completely alone. One day when I was wandering the streets, I came across Rangiku collapsed in the road from hunger." I shot him a look. "It's different for children, we're still growing at that stage after all. Anyway, I offered her some of my dried persimmons to help her feel better." he trailed off. "We…eat them every year on her birthday together." I smiled.

"When is her birthday?"

"She never really knew. I said that the day we met should be her birthday, and it has been so ever since."

"The two of you are really close then, huh?" I asked. Rangiku's words came to mind in a flash from a while back and I shook them off.

"You could say that." he said, lost in thought. He glanced over at me, "what about you, Ariswana? How did you end up here?" he asked. He knew bits and pieces, but she realized that her captain had very little knowledge of who she was.

I put my chin on the cool stone of the bridge and gazed sadly into the water below with him.

"I worked the late shift at the tea shop one night, but was let out early. I rushed home to fix dinner for…for my little sister and I. When I got there, someone had broken into our apartment and I caught him sniffing my panties." I scowled and saw that Gin had clenched his right fist. "When I confronted him, he threatened to do unspeakable things not only to me, but to Himari too. He had me outmatched and as I was running for help, he ran me down with his car, killing me." we were both silent for a while after I shared; Gin's face was hidden by his hair, so it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. I smiled as I continued.

"It got better from there, though. I'd met Renji just the night before when he was on mission to dispose of a Hollow that just so happened to be trying to eat my soul at the time. I could see him, of course. Imagine his surprise when he came back to Kurakura town to discover the soul he needed to perform the sending for was me again. After hearing my story, he vowed to help me on my quest."

"And what is your quest?" I hesitated. I hadn't talked about Himari with my captain before, and honestly, hadn't said her name in so long, I could feel myself losing control. When I didn't answer immediately, he looked over at me and saw silent tears streaming down my cheeks. The sun was starting to set, reflecting the water across my tears; I was still smiling.

"My quest is simple. I wanted to join the Gotei 13 to get strong enough to not only see my sister again one day, but to protect her and make sure she's safe. Even in my death, I will protect her." I turned my head down and grasped the edge to attempt to regain my composure, but the tears just wouldn't stop. It got to the point where my body betrayed me and started shaking.

"Ariswana…" he put a hand on my arm and I turned to him fully, unable to hide the intense grief I still held in my heart for losing my sister.

"I just miss her so much. I miss her so much, the pain is often unbearable." I admitted.

He pulled me into an embrace and my hitching sobs broke free. I held him tight and drenched his beautiful shirt with my silly tears. He dropped his cheek to the top of my head and swayed gently as I was able to regain my composure. I pulled away from him as far as he'd let me (which wasn't much), and laughed awkwardly while wiping my eyes with the base of my palm.

"I'm sorry, this was not how sharing went in my head. I'm so embarrassed." I said lightheartedly.

"No, no Ariswana. Please don't be embarrassed. I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to share that with me. Now I can help you on your quest too." I blushed.

"I'm just saying, the delivery of that could have gone a lot smoother from my side." I said as I sniffled. I was smiling, yet he looked absolutely troubled. "What is it?"

Gin's mouth was pressed into a hard line and he turned to admire the setting sun. Turning back to me, he grabbed the hand I had resting over my heart and held it in his. He looked down into my eyes and leaned down ever so slowly. He used his other arm to pull me into his chest as his lips delicately kissed my own. Absolutely stunned, it took me a moment to fully grasp what was happening, but when the information finally sunk in, I kissed him back. Feeling this, he took it as permission to deepen the kiss and opened his mouth in rhythm with mine.

It was passionate. It was beautiful.

We pulled apart and just looked at each other. He didn't pull too far away, and neither did I. I wanted to soak in his scent of sandalwood and feel the warmth of his body close to me.

"I couldn't pretend that I didn't have real feelings for you anymore." he said huskily. I inhaled deeply, put a hand to his cheek and kissed the corner of his mouth.

"You've made my knees melt since day one." I whispered. He moaned in reply; I took it as a good thing.

"It's been too much for me. Being your captain or not, I want you. I want you to be mine." his voice was strained, my mind wandered to the warmest and most pleasant of places as I blushed and laughed.

"So then…I'm yours." our fingers danced together as he put his forehead to mine. "But…but does it…does it have to be a secret?" He shook his head.

"No. I can control a lot of things, Ariswana, but I can't control the fact that I'm smitten with you. The more time I spend with you, the harder I fall. It would be annoying if I didn't like it so much." We both laughed lightly. "But I do like it. I'm not ashamed of it, and in fact I want to stamp your forehead with my signature to fend off other…predators."

"I'm not the biggest fan of the phrasing on that statement."

"Noted."

He leaned in and kissed me again as the sun officially set.

Who knew I would have to die and be born again to have my first real romantic encounter?