"Come on, Jyuush! Don't be so mean, tell me!"
"Would you stop pestering me, please?!"
"Then just tell me! Why are you making such a secret of it?"
"I'm not... it's... oh, just leave it alone, Shunsui."
"I'm your best friend, Shiro!"
Not long after his encounter with Shiba in the hallway, Kyōraku had appeared at Ukitake's house, together with the very first rays of sunlight (which was extremely unusual to begin with), under the pretence of wanting to have breakfast with his friend.
Right now they were sitting on the porch, eating rice with umeboshi and drinking tea, while the sun was slowly rising. Soon it would be time for all squads to hold the daily roll-call inspection and begin the training.
"You know I won't tell anyone", Kyōraku insisted.
Ukitake sighed acquiescently. "I know that."
"So, he came to visit you, you had some tea, and as time went by, you two loosened up..."
"..."
"and the moon was shining and everything was very romantic..."
"..."
"... and eventually, you kissed!"
"Yes, we did", Ukitake answered, staring down at the bottom of his teacup.
A triumphant grin flashed across Kyōraku's face. "Aha! And then...?"
"What, then?"
"You fucked!"
Ukitake didn't even have to utter a word, the fact that he was blushing crimson was enough of an answer. Hurriedly, he hid his face behind his teacup by emptying it in one gulp. Kyōraku just laughed amusedly and gave his friend a pat on the back.
"I knew it. He couldn't possibly have withstood your devilish charms..."
"Yeah, right", Ukitake answered, now laughing, too.
"So, when will you see him again?"
"Probably during the captain's meeting this afternoon."
"That's not what I meant, and you know it!"
Laughing, Ukitake laid his head back, feeling much more at ease now.
"He will come by again this evening", he answered frankly.
"Good for you", Kyōraku grinned, before he put his teacup up to his lips, uttering something like "can't believe you're getting more action than I do" under his breath.
"What was that, Shun?", Ukitake asked with an amiable expression.
"Nothing", Kyōraku grinned and hastily got up to his feet. "We should get going!"
In the late afternoon, when Ukitake came home from kidou-training with the young Kuchiki, the first thing he did was look after his bonsai, happily humming to himself.
While he was clipping away at the little twigs and branches, he let minute streams of his reiatsu coil slowly throughout the division's grounds like little rivulets, watching over his squad as they prepared for the night, people making their beds, sweeping the training ground, preparing food in the kitchen and doing their laundry. He noticed Kaien Shiba, whom he hoped to make lieutenant in the near future, sitting on a rooftop together with the squad's seventh seat, Miyako. Those two really seemed to like each other... Ukitake smiled happily to himself and continued his gardening.
He was just checking the buds of a small maple tree to see if it needed cutting, when Muguruma appeared behind him without a sound, seemingly out of nowhere.
"You are too early", Ukitake smiled without turning around.
"Darn it", Muguruma laughed, "it's impossible to sneak up on you, isn't it?"
"Well, you are not exactly stealth force material to begin with...", Ukitake bantered, just to be clutched from behind by two strong arms a second later.
"So you're teasing me?", the young man growled playfully, rubbing his nose against the soft skin behind Ukitake's ear. "Are you sure you are willing to deal with the consequences?"
"I'm pretty sure I can handle them", Ukitake smiled while turning around in the other man's embrace.
They kissed briefly, before Muguruma said in a seductive voice: "So, do you wanna get into bed right now, or are you into some foreplay?"
Surprised by this frankness, Ukitake laughed and answered: "I was hoping we would talk first."
"Mhmm", Muguruma aspirated, letting his hands slide up and down on the other man's torso, "and what is it you wanna talk about?"
"I want to know what you expect from this thing between us."
"Hmm, I haven't thought about it, really..."
"I just thought you should know that I'm not looking for a serious relationship, and I don't want anything to be public. I hope that's fine with you, too."
"That's more than fine with me", Muguruma uttered, nuzzling the skin on Ukitake's throat and neck.
"But", Ukitake continued, gently forcing the other man to face him, "what I don't want is this to be just about sex and nothing else. I don't want to feel like a mere toy, and I'm not that kind of person who just jumps into bed with anyone for fun."
"Jūshirō", Muguruma smiled, holding him by the waist, "this is really not just about sex. But I couldn't stop thinking about you all day, and knowing I'd see you again this evening made me really, really horny..."
"Oh my, I'm glad I'm not in that age any more", Ukitake laughed and put his hands on the young man's hips to pull him closer, "Now that we've made things clear, we can go inside, if you want."
"That's what I'm talking about", Muguruma purred and proceeded to kiss Ukitake's neck, while his hands slid under his haori to hold him captive in a tight embrace. The older man hissed when he was playfully bitten by sharp teeth and began to chuckle. "You are not trying to leave a mark, are you, Kensei?", he asked, smiling, while his right hand slid up and into Muguruma's hair to gently pull him away. "And what if I were", the young man purred, when suddenly someone flash-stepped past them with incredible speed. It happened so fast that both of them barely had the time to turn their heads when a second person arrived on top of the wall surrounding the 13th's gardens, stumbling out of the flash-step in a not-so-elegant manner.
"YOU INSOLENT-" The black-haired boy who had appeared on top of the wall had just been about to launch into another shunpo, when his eyes fell on the entangled captains of the 13th and 9th division, who were looking at him with surprised and murderous expressions, respectively. He stumbled again, regained his foothold and froze for a second, before he bowed down so low that his loose, black hair slid down over his shoulders.
"My sincerest apologies", he said and disappeared before he had even raised his head again.
"Oh god", Ukitake groaned and let his forehead drop on Muguruma's shoulder. The young man chuckled. "What the hell was that."
"Shihouin-taicho and Kuchiki-kun... why...", Ukitake sighed deeply, while Muguruma began to laugh. "That little brat was the heir of the Kuchikis?"
"Precisely", Ukitake groaned, "seems like I'm gonna have some explaining to do..."
"Why's that?"
"Because I'm his kidou teacher..."
Muguruma hummed and nibbled on Ukitake's ear. "I would have loved to have such a hot kidou teacher", he mumbled, his hands sliding down on his lover's midriff.
"Are you really trying to distract me from the fact that my pupil and heir of the Kuchiki Clan just caught me making out with another captain?", Ukitake sighed and closed his eyes. Muguruma just hummed and carried on to place little bites and kisses along Ukitake's collar bone. The older man groaned acquiescently. "Well, the damage is done", he mumbled, "you might as well succeed..."
The sex went by almost like the first time, except that this time, when Ukitake had been just about to come, Muguruma had bent down to take the willing cock into his mouth. He had sucked every last drop of cum out of it, and only afterwards did Ukitake realise how loud he had been crying out something like "holy fuck" or the like of it. It made him blush with embarrassment even after both of them had finished and lay next to each other in silence.
"With that kind of memory", Muguruma said after a while, grinning widely, "tomorrow I will be horny all day again."
"You took me by surprise", Ukitake defended himself, smiling. The younger man turned to face him, and gave him a long and deep kiss.
"I love to hear you scream with pleasure, Jūshirō", he whispered, "don't ever think that you have to hold back."
"I don't", Ukitake answered, gently caressing Muguruma's thigh with one hand. "Will you come again, tomorrow?"
"That is literally in your hands", the young man laughed. Ukitake took two seconds to get the pun, then he put on his most seductive smile and said:
"Hands...? Well, if you visit again tomorrow, I thought I might return the favour you did me earlier."
Muguruma just stared at him for a few seconds before answering:
"Are you really holding out to me that tomorrow night I'm in for a blowjob?"
"Maybe...?"
"Sweet mother of god, how am I supposed to survive until then?", Muguruma asked and threw his hands up in overacted desperation, "how can you torture me like that? I will have to walk around with a boner all day!"
Ukitake chuckled with amusement. "Stop exaggerating, Kensei."
"I'm not! See, now my dick is all hard again!"
Looking down, Ukitake realised that this was indeed the case, and for some reason he couldn't stop laughing.
"What's so funny?!"
"I don't know, I just... didn't expect that..."
"You see, the prospect of receiving head by the drop-dead gorgeous Jūshirō Ukitake cannot be overestimated."
"I'm really flattered, I guess", Ukitake said, still chuckling slightly, looking at Muguruma's anew erect cock. "I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention to... stir things up again."
"If you stop talking about things like sucking me off, it will eventually go away", Muguruma said, relaxedly folding his arms behind his head.
"And what can we talk about that will help your situation?", Ukitake asked with a smile.
"Hm. How about Kyōraku", the young man suggested.
"Shunsui?" Ukitake seemed surprised. "Really?"
"Yeah, the guy is a total cock block. At least, as far as I'm concerned."
"That's funny, since he was the one trying to convince me to get it on with you."
"What?"
"It's true."
"Wha... How does that concern him, anyway?!"
"That's what I said", Ukitake laughed, "but in retrospect I have to thank him. Getting it on with you was a really good idea."
"I do hope so", Muguruma mumbled, still slightly disbelieving. "So, he knows about... us?"
"Yeah, well... I couldn't hide it from him, he's my best friend."
"I knew he looked at me funny after the captain's meeting today!"
"I'm sure he was just smiling at you."
"No, he was looking at me funny. And who can blame him, first I embarrass the shit out of myself in front of him and behave like a total dork, and now I'm bangin' his friend. I would also look at me funny."
"Stop it, Kensei, it's not like this", Ukitake chuckled. "He wouldn't have tried to set us up if that was the case."
"If you say so", Muguruma grumbled and stared at the ceiling for a while, before he said: "You two are really close, huh?"
"I guess we are..."
"Hasn't there ever been something sexual between you?"
"Of course not. He's nothing but... my best friend."
"Nothing but, hm?", Muguruma repeated with a smile.
"I would entrust him with my very life", Ukitake answered, "in fact, he has saved it countless times, like I have saved his."
"It's great to have such a friend", the young man said pensively. Ukitake smiled at him, but suddenly sighed and hid his face behind his hands.
"Oh my god", he groaned, "I just remembered that Byakuya-kun caught us making out..."
"Hm. I'm going to deduce that that's the name of the Kuchiki spawn?"
"Yes..."
"D'you think he's gonna tell anyone?"
"No, I don't think so..."
"Then it's not a big deal, is it?"
"Well... I guess not", Ukitake sighed. "But the conversation is going to be... awkward..."
"You have to see the bright side", Muguruma said and grinned, "at lead he didn't see us fuck."
"Oh god", Ukitake repeated, his cheeks blushing underneath his hands.
"Speaking of that", Muguruma added with a lewd smile, "I'm looking forward to tomorrow." His grin widened. "And the day after tomorrow... and the day after that..."
Ukitake laughed. "Are you planning to have sex on a daily basis?"
"Hmm, well..." The young man smiled and got up on one arm to look at Ukitake's face. "You've really got me going, you know", he purred as he stroked the older man's chest with his free hand and teasingly pinched his nipple. "It's not every day that you find a captain-level partner..."
"That is true", Ukitake answered with a smile and raised his hand to Muguruma's cheek. "Taking care not to smother a weaker sexual partner with the force of one's roused reiatsu can be quite bothersome..."
"Tell me about it", Muguruma chuckled and turned his head to playfully bite Ukitake's palm, "it's also not every day that you find someone who is as hot as you..."
"Well, thanks", Ukitake smiled, his hand moving down to Kensei's nape.
"Speaking of reiatsu", the young man said and grinned, "yours sure is impressive. I don't think I could keep up if you were to release it completely."
Ukitake laughed at that remark. "If I were to release it completely, I think I'd knock out 99% of the Seireitei's population. I usually try to avoid that."
"Such a good guy", Muguruma chuckled. "I guess I'd be like a floodwave after a dam break..."
"Probably", Ukitake sighed, as Muguruma drew closer to him, his lips hovering across the angle of his jaw.
"When I'm really close to you, I always perceive it as a huge, deep sea", he whispered, and placed a kiss close to his lover's smiling lips. "But it is very still most of the time... very controlled..."
Ukitake turned his head a little to bring his mouth close to the young man's and said: "I've mastered controlling it a long time ago," his hand sensually sliding along the young man's midriff. "But you are a formidable challenge, Kensei..."
"I always try my best", the young man grinned, "I think my storm is well suited to whip up that calm sea of yours..."
"Indeed", Ukitake smiled, before Muguruma kissed him again, right on the mouth, his tongue teasing but not intrusive. "Such kissable lips", the young man mumbled and grinned as he gently bit down on Ukitake's bottom lip. The older man only smiled in response. He was always surprised by Kensei's enthusiasm when it came to kissing him; his lovers usually were more reluctant when it came to that. He always assumed that it was because of his illness, and he couldn't blame anyone for trying to avoid mouth-to-mouth contact. Apparently, however, Kensei didn't seem to give that matter too much thought.
"I'm glad that you find me to your liking", Ukitake whispered with a playful smile, which caused Muguruma to chuckle. "Always so modest, Jūshirō..."
Just then, on the margin of his perception, Ukitake caught some activity on the grounds of his division. He slightly tilted his head and looked away, as if trying to hear a faint sound, and then looked at Muguruma again: "I think we should get going", he said then, "seems like dinner is almost ready."
Muguruma sighed. "Alright", he grumbled and went about to get up.
"Don't you eat together with your squad members?", Ukitake asked as he sat up and provisionally combed through his hair with his fingers.
"Yeah, I do, but we eat only at nine..."
Ukitake just hummed in response, watching pensively how the young man dug through the pile of their discarded clothes, trying to distinguish which piece of clothing belonged to whom. He smiled and suppressed a heavy sigh – should he really be so lucky?