here we go, chapter two; hope u enjoy!

"Chapter Two;
Civil Reasoning"

They found a river within a half hour. The two sat opposite each other; the taicho embracing the sun while the other took the shade of the tree, looking away as soon as he crossed his legs. He understood a bit more about the man, but he was still pretty uneasy around him. The elder one would always smile, unless he had reason to worry, which was whenever the boy avoided his gaze, but after a few seconds, he'd find some way to distract him, and in some cases, grin as well. He didn't know why, though, but no matter how annoyed, or uneasy he felt, he wouldn't leave the man. And this reason, he knew, wasn't food, simply because he still had enough energy to hunt it himself. Something made him want to stay, but he didn't know what.

"Here you go!" The boy looked forward, and saw the captain giving his food from a bento box. Their were all sorts of different types of origani and fish inside, but what he mainly saw was the ohagi. "Gomen, but ohagi is a preference of mine! If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it." The taicho told him. Right now, the boy was too hungry to worry about taste, so he just ate the ohagi, quite pleased with the flavor. "My name is Ukitake Jushiro! What's yours?" He asked the boy. He looked at the man, a little surprised, before turning away.

He was the first who ever bothered to ask him that. He was always called Shoshinsha, and nobody ever called him differently until he was kicked out of the house he was allowed to stay in. It made him believe his name wasn't worth much of anything to anyone, but to hear that someone wanted to know, he was unsure if the other would care. A bit of re-convincing, and remembering that the man cared more than the rest, he assumed it was safe to talk to him. The name, he wasn't so sure. "Are you sure you want to know?" He asked, his voice holding a deep, serious tone.

Ukitake looked at the boy, a bit surprised. "What makes you ask me that? Of course I want to know!" The captain insisted.

The red-eyed one shook his head. "You want to know for identity, and for consoling. Should those feelings that are ruptured in you, now, fade later on, would there still be of any meaning of knowing besides the pity you give a soul, such as I? To a shoshinsha that was soon labeled bakemono. What feelings could you possibly have besides the ones you hold towards me, presently?" He questioned the taicho.

He was quite surprised. Not once had he thought it that way. But yes, why would this boy think that this isn't just pity of a man that simply heard a few rumors, and came for mere aid that may last for that of a short time? He was treated as to not trust people with the name, simply because they had called him something else without a second thought, proving they didn't care.

Such an idea made the silver haired man stand up, and head over to the other. Once sitting down, he wrapped an arm around the boy's neck, and brought him to lean up against his chest. The boy wasn't all that surprised by the deed, and he was cherishing the silence the captain left him within the bright area. Finally, after several long moments, he heard a sigh escape the from the other, as he felt the others opposite arm wrap around him, holding his body in a gentle embrace that held him firm.

"I see what you mean! Through this, you must have isolated yourself from those you knew didn't care," Ukitake stated, looking at the sky, "but now that you see me as something different, you question if it's safe to give out those things you wanted to, such as your name, and you're trying to find an excuse as to not to." He added. The boy averted his eyes, trying to avoid the others gaze. Silence grew for a short while before the taicho chose to speak again. "But, in that turn, you've become very lonely, haven't you?" He questioned. The other looked up at him, shocked by the question. "I can't imagine how tortured you are, because you're always to yourself, and not open to others! That pain is a burden that no one deserves to carry." There was another short pause, before the taicho finished. "But if I must answer your question, the feeling wouldn't fade, and that's because I can't let a child suffer. This isn't pity; this is but one way I care about you!" He insisted.

Silence. That's all there was now. The crimson-eyed male closed his ruby red orbs, and tried his best to repress any emotion that may rise to his face. He was failing, though, simply by the words Jushiro had left ringing in his ears. Care? Why would someone of this wisdom, nature, and kindness, care about him? Why did he disagree with the others, and want to care for him? To accept him instead of calling him by what he was known for? Why would this man care about him?

These questions continued to come up, and Ukitake's truthful words did not leave his mind. He didn't know it, but his body was already beginning to react for him. His body began to shake, and his breathing became ragged. His mind became clouded with confusion, hurt, and frustration, as if these pains had come so naturally. Subconsciously, he returned the embrace the taicho had given him, and to add to his failure to compose himself, tears had escaped his closed lids, and soft, gasping sobs had escaped from his lips.

Ukitake was grieved by the sight. He hated seeing the child's pain, now more than before. Grief, and loneliness. Two things no person deserved to have, but some choose to face. He knew what it was like; when he came to the seireitei over a millennium ago, he too thought he was alone, and for a long time, he had to endure it. That is, until he met Shunsui. He was one of his first friends!

The boy also deserved a chance of happiness. He deserved to have a friend that would help him, and a family that would always care for him. The taicho closed his eyes, going further in thought of this. "Anyone who accepts loneliness won't open up, easily!" He mentally stated. "If there's someone to convince him that he has a friend, then he'll soon open up to others!" He added. Ukitake gripped the other a little tighter, protectiveness beginning to become too evident. "I'll help him start! It'll get easier for him, that way!" Ukitake knew he could be persistent, so, he knew he wasn't gonna stop until the other felt happy.

He was brought away from his thoughts from the voice of the red-eyed boy, a bit more calm than before, and composing himself more quickly. "Hiwatari." He said. Ukitake stared down at him in question, wondering what the other meant. "My name is Hiwatari Kai!" The boy said a bit more firmly. The silver-haired captain couldn't help but smile. He was glad that the boy was, at least, trying to reach out.

He looked down at Hiwatari, and only let out a small chuckle before saying, "It's nice to meet you!" The younger soul, although a bit surprised, gave the other a light smile before letting his head relax on the other, and listen to his heartbeat. It was calming to hear it, and seeing as how there was a grin on the other's face, he was enjoying it.

"So, why did you come to this sector?" He heard the young boy ask. Ukitake looked at Hiwatari, a bit surprised he'd ask. "I mean, it's not like a captain from the Gotai 13 would come here to stop violence, or to save a child." He threw in.

The thoughts were reasonable, he would admit, but he didn't know he should tell the other the real reason. After taking a moment to stare at the injured teen, he sighed, then began to explain. "The Gotai 13 sensed a strange power coming from this sector a few days ago, and I was sent to investigate." The other only responded with a raised brow, easily telling that there was more to this. "When I started hearing rumors about you, I came out here. The last thing I expected was that-"

"I was what you were looking for?" Kai finished. He could easily tell the man didn't want to lose any trust, and he could tell that if he were to assume that Jushiro only came out there to get a power over to the Gotai 13, it be against every moral code he had. In other words, he didn't care about the mission. "I understand," was all he said to that.

Hiwatari and Ukitake finished their meals, and they began to roam the forest. Ukitake talked a lot, but Hiwatari really didn't care; sometimes it could be too quiet, and he was only relieved of silence when the men went to hunt him. He knew the day was more than halfway over, and that fact meant that Ukitake would be returning home, and he'd be in the forest, by himself. He didn't want to be alone, but he also didn't want to be a burden to the captain.

Jushiro could tell Kai was trying to be kind, and was thinking lowly of himself. No one deserved to be alone, and he didn't want the other to be. Question was how? He knew the other was boasted with pride, and the only way he'd let anyone into his life was if he trusted him, and so far, he only trusted Ukitake. Since this was the case, he'd have to teach Kai; it's not like he didn't learn how to accept others, so he'd be able to help in the long run.

"Bakemono!" "Yo, Bakemono!" "You're dead!" These shouts came from the path ahead. It was only then that Kai realized he had been walking back to the accursed village he left so he could have peace. But it didn't matter! The men saw him, and whenever they did, they wouldn't stop until they got him, or until they got tired.

The men charged forward, but as soon as the first weapon was fired, Ukitake had caught it before the other could even move. The men stopped, only just noticing who it was that was standing in front of their prey, and also saw the glare that came out of his eyes. The thirteenth captain rarely got this angry, but he had enough of this.

"Never again will you fire a weapon at this boy!" He shouted. The men stepped back as the taicho continued. "I've been here long enough, and my decisions are clear!" The elder had only just caught up with the men and had also just noticed the boy. He looked at the man in question, but Ukitake ignored it. He bowed to the man, before saying something. "Honest elder, with your permission, I'd like to take Hiwatari home with me." He stated, softly, and definitely more calm than before.

"Hiwatari?" Was the big question coming out of the males' mouths. They never knew him by anything else except for Shoshinsha.

The elder's question was asked with a point of the finger to Kai, and a raised eyebrow. The taicho only nodded at him, looking at the old man with soft, somewhat apologetic eyes. The elder walked around him, and spoke to the teenager. "Do you want to go with Captain Ukitake?" He asked the boy.

Hiwatari wanted nothing more but to say yes, but he was still unsure if that were the right thing to do. Of course, he didn't want to stay the bastards here, but he also didn't want to be a burden to the other, so is it alright? He looked at the taicho, still seeming unsure; a look only his eyes carried; and saw the captain smiling at him, sweetly. Kai could see he was wanted for once, and he wanted to go with Ukitake, so that made up his mind.

"Hai." He answered, calmly. Jushiro's smile grew, as he made his way to the other. He placed an arm around his shoulder, and held him close. kai couldn't help but smile at him, but it felt very awkward to do so in front of the men who despised him.

"You may take him, Taicho! I'm very sure you can handle each other!" The elder said, turning around and getting the men to leave. Once Kai got what little things the elder saved for him, Ukitake soul stepped them to Sector 3.

shoshinsha=newbie.

hope u liked chapter 2, sry it took so long, and sry, once again, if Kai's a bit ooc. l8r!

~ K. Fang-sama