Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of the Bleach characters, that honour falls onto Tite Kubo's shoulders, I do own the OC in this story though (ie Rain).
Chapter 2 : Licked
Friday evening Rain was up, he was dressed, long flowing black overcoat unbuttoned to show his neatly tucked in shirt and studded belt he'd traded an eleventh squad member for. He checked his shoes were laced and then sat down on the bed waiting for Isane. He knew she might not come but he was hoping she'd be the one to check on him.
There was a knock on the door, "Enter, please." he called.
The door slid open and Isane's eyes widened as she saw him, fully dressed on the bed, his zanpakuto strapped to his left leg so that the hilt stuck out about a foot above his knee.
"You promised me a walk didn't you Vice-Captain?" He asked smirking slightly. His smirk twitched into a grin, he hadn't smirked in such a long time, it felt so natural to him.
Isane smiled, "I guess I did."
Ukitake leant against the railing heavily, Unohana watching him closely for signs of his illness flaring up. Both glanced up as they heard traces of voices floating across from one of the other buildings.
"How nice, they're walking together." Unohana murmured.
Rain paused for a moment to catch his breath, Isane looked nervous as she hovered by his side.
"I'm okay." he reassured her, "Don't stress."
"Maybe you should go back to lying down?" she whispered quietly.
Rain snorted, pulling a strand of black hair back behind his ear so that she could see his face more clearly, "I've spent the last thirty years in stasis, I'm sick of resting."
Isane nodded slowly but still looked nervous.
Rain started walking again, his steps slow and deliberate as though he was forcing his feet on, which he was in a sense, he'd spent the week looking forward to this walk, he wasn't going to let it get cut short, "Isane can I ask you a question?"
Isane nodded, "Of course."
"Tell me honsetly, when I was brought here, I was an experiment...." he paused, "Does that mean I still am?"
"What do you mean?"
He sighed, stopping suddenly, he leant on his knees and took a few deep breaths, "I can't shake this feeling that I'm not equal to the other shinigami anymore. I feel like I'm still just an experiment."
"You don't look like an experiment." she said quietly.
He nodded, "But do you look at me the same way as you look at all the other shinigami?"
Isane was silent.
"Do I take your silence as a no?" he asked staring into her soft eyes.
She shook her head, "You're just someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
He tore his eyes away, "I'm sorry." he muttered, "I don't even deserve to be in your company. I'm nothing anymore, I lost my seated position thirty years ago, I abandoned my squad." he stood up slowly, "Maybe I should have just let myself die in the real world."
"Don't say that." Isane snapped suddenly, "Everybody deserves to live, you've just had a bad run, its not your fault."
Rain took a shaky step, "Maybe I deserved it."
"Any experiment that runs away deserves what it gets." a voice snapped angrily.
Rain froze as Mayuri Kurosutchi stepped out of the shadow, dropping the camoflauge he'd been using.
"Kurosutchi." Rain hissed.
"Experiments shouldn't speak unless instructed to." Mayuri continued, "And experiments should terminate when they're told to."
Rain stepped forwards closing the gap slowly, "You're a bastard Kurosutchi."
"Is that any way to speak to your captain?" Mayuri asked, his golden eyes narrowing.
"I'll nerver recognise you as my captain again faggot." Rain growled, "Fracture Hone Nokogiri!" he hissed, drawing his zanpakuto from its scabbard, it flashed and morphed.
"You're going to try to fight me?" Mayrui asked quietly, "Fool."
"BANKAI!" Rain screamed slamming the blade into the concrete floor. The skeletons appeared quickly, rising from the ground and arranging themselves in lines in front of him, the few with shields stepped back, walking past him and encircling Isane.
"Rain!" Isane cried, "You can't fight in your condition."
Rain ignored the mutinous cries of his own body as the skeletons around him prepared themselves for the attack.
Mayuri drew his zanpakutou in a single movement, "BANK-"
"Don't Captain Kurosutchi." a voice called interrupting him.
Rain blinked as Captain Unohana flashed into the gap between him and Mayuri, she had Ukitake with her, Ukitake stared at Rain meaningfully.
"Put it away Rain." he commanded slowly.
Rain grunted and yanked his cleaver from the ground, the skeletons dissolving into dust. He rose, shaking violently. He dropped to one knee again but Isane caught him before he could collapse completely.
"Take him back to the headquarters." Unohana ordered softly.
Isane nodded and hoisted Rain to his feet, draping his arm across her shoulders. She'd never noticed how tall he was, just taller than herself.
"I'm sorry Isane." Rain sighed, "Sorry."
Isane turned the corner taking them out of sight of the captains, "It's okay." she soothed.
Rain took a slow breath, he could smell her hair, it smelt so good, delicious almost, his nose burned with the scent. He lifted himself with a small burst of energy and licked her, his tongue sliding up her cheek before he caught himself. He froze, tongue still resting on her cheek. She was blushing and staring at him curiously.
Rain went scarlet and turned away, "I apologise Vice-Captain. I don't know what came over me.", Rain muttered trying to get back to some sort of formality, what did she think of him now, she probably thought he was some sort of crazy freak. And he was certain it wasn't one of those 'but he's my crazy freak' thoughts.
Another week later.
Rain was kneeling in front of the captain commander, Unohana and Ukitake both standing beside him. Kurosutchi was glowering at the three of them from across the room, Nemu standing attentively beside him.
"You wish to leave the twelfth squad, is that correct?" the Captain-Commander asked quietly.
"Yes sir." Rain muttered in answer.
"Have you approached another captain to request a transfer to their squad?"
Rain nodded slowly, "I have spoken to Captain Unohana and she has agreed to allow me to transfer to the fourth squad."
The Captain-Commander nodded, "Captain Unohana, does this man have any healing experience?"
Unohana shook her head, "No but as an ex-member of the Technological Research Bureau I believe he may be a valuable asset to us." she paused, "I know it may seem like a strange choice but I'm hoping that you will allow Rain into my squad even if he lack prowess at healing."
The Captain-Commander nodded, "Very well, Ichimaru Rain, you are hereby transferred from Captain Kurosutchi's Twelfth Division to Captain Unohana's Fourth Division."
Rain walked quietly beside Unohana and Ukitake as they returned to the fourth barracks.
"Ichimaru?" Ukitake asked quietly, "Does that mean you're the brother of Gin?"
Rain shook his head, "Sorry to dissapoint captain but no, I'm merely his cousin." Rain was silent for a moment, "Speaking of Gin, I haven't seen him, has something happened to him?"
Ukitake was silent for a moment, "I guess I should explain everything that happened."
Rain shook his head, "Please captain, just tell me up front."
Ukitake nodded, "Very well, he's betrayed Soul Society along with two other captains."
Rain nodded knowingly, "He never could keep out of trouble."