I've apparently been spelling "Zanpakutou" wrong. I'll fix that.

Kira awoke the next morning shivering. He sat up and looked around the room to find it silent and undisturbed, quite the opposite of himself. Grabbing his shoulders to keep warm but finding that he only touched bare skin was a small shock; however it did explain why he was freezing. He looked down and saw a small blanket lay across his lap. He instinctively grabbed it and wrapped it around his shoulders, though he didn't know where it came from. It certainly hadn't been there last night.

Last night. Kira shut his eyes. Flashes from the events of the night before came rushing back to him. His face turned red, his mind panicked. He gripped the blanket closer to himself, self-conscious and now aware of the fact that he was not clothed at all. He spotted a third squad uniform on the desk that also hadn't been there last night, and began to stand up to get to it. At once, he froze; every bone and muscle in his body was aching and sore, as though a thousand pounds pressed on every inch. But taking hold of the back of the chair, he dragged himself to his feet, dressing as quickly as he could without invoking too much pain. Tying his sash closed so tightly it cut into his stomach, he limped to the door before spotting something curious that lay beside the doorframe. A black, shapeless lump of cloth carelessly strewn there on the floor. Then with a pang that brought a rush of blood to his head, he realized it was his kimono.

He tore his head away from it and opened the door slowly, looking both ways before stepping out into the main room. A table stood on the far right with four chairs around it, neatly put in place. He walked towards it, noticing that upon it was a bowl of fruit: that also hadn't been there the day before. What time is it? He wondered.

"Mornin' Izuru," called a voice. Kira turned sharply to find Gin, fully dressed and prepared for the day. He was leaning against the wall holding a half-eaten apple, grinning more ominously than Kira had ever seen before. Kira felt dizzy even looking at his Captain, as more visions from the previous night swirled around his head. A sudden haze appeared in the room, his eyes grew weary, and for a moment, everything went black. A second later, Kira found himself with his Captain's arm around him, in the same spot but a few feet closer to the ground. Gin had caught him before he fainted.

"Pathetic," Gin chided and waved around the apple he still held. "Want sumthin' ter eat?"

Kira wasn't sure how to answer. Gin was acting like nothing had happened between them. Was he supposed to do the same?

"Now, now," Gin scolded, letting Kira back onto his feet, "we can't well train ya if yer gonna be faintin' all the time. Build up yer strength. Cos I'm tough." He picked up a fresh apple out of the fruit bowl and tossed it into the air. Kira caught it. "Go on."

"Taichou," Kira started, looking down at the apple and rolling it around his hands. But he couldn't figure out how to finish the sentence.

"I'll pick you up after Vice Captain's meeting," Gin told him, ignoring the fact he had addressed him. "Then we can go train. Okee?"

"O-okay," Kira said, watching as Gin held the apple with his teeth and searched around his pockets for something. There was a moment of eureka on Gin's face and he pulled out a pentagon-shaped badge sewed onto a white cloth. Kira didn't want to ask what it was doing in his pocket.

"Don' forget this," Gin said cheerfully, taking the apple out of his mouth and holding out the Third Squad Lieutenant's armband. Kira didn't take it, contemplating what it meant to be this man's Vice-Captain. He bit his lip, utterly confused by the emotions he felt compared with the ones he thought he should feel. Gin became impatient. "Don' make me shove it up yer arm again," he said both scornfully and playfully, tapping Kira lightly on the nose. "Ya gotta learn to be responsible, take up the Lieutenant's duty."

"And what exactly is the Lieutenant's duty?" Kira asked carefully, taking the badge and unsure whether or not he wanted to hear the answer.

"To be by his Captain's side, and follow his orders," Gin recited in a completely serious tone of voice, though kept on his characteristic smile. "See ya later!" Before Kira could get another word in, Gin had disappeared into the outside yards.

Kira started to walk to the meeting building himself, slowly, down to the main grounds, watching the Shinigami go about their daily business in the early morning sun. He smiled still, taking in the fresh air and warm light. At least it was pleasant outside.

"Kira-kun!"

Kira whirled around to find a small girl with brown hair running along, waving her arms. She smiled, running right at him but stopped short before colliding into him. Instead, she bowed deeply, her neat bun flopping forward in the process.

"Now KiraFukutaichou!" said Hinamori respectfully, straightening up but still smiling greatly. "I can't believe it, Kira-kun. Not-not that you don't have the ability," she added quickly, "but it was such a surprise for Ichimaru fuku – I'm sorry, IchimaruTaichou to have announced your name out of the blue! I'm so proud of you! You must be so happy."

Kira faked a smile to answer. Hinamori shouldn't have to hear what he really felt.

"But now, I have to work extra hard to--" She was cut off as a redhead intruded on the conversation, along with a man with spiked black hair, a tattoo of a 69 on his face, and a studded choker.

"Renji!" Hinamori didn't hold herself back and hugged her friend, who was completely baffled by her behavior, not to mention embarrassed. "And Hisagi-kun," she added, bowing to the tattooed man.

Shuuhei waved casually. Kira hadn't seen him in quite some time. Though they had often talked in the academy, he had only seen him in passing since then; but he had still retained the three scars across his eye and the bandage across his nose from the Hollow attack the four of them received years ago. He sported a Lieutenant's badge as well, and was therefore on his way to the same meeting as Kira.

"How have you been?!" Hinamori continued, squeaking at Renji. "What's life like at Squad Eleven?"

"Actually, it's not bad," said Renji honestly. "The Captain's insane but pretty cool, he's obsessed with fighting. And I mean obsessed. And the seated officers are really great, we've been training a lot, I'm coming really far along. And then maybe I can catch up with you two, fricking Vice-Captains!"

Shuuhei shrugged, and Kira's face turned red, but he didn't smile.

"Congratulations, by the way," Shuuhei added, bowing his head to Kira. "Being directly chosen by a Captain is an honor."

"Yes!" Hinamori grinned. "Aizen Taichou still hasn't chosen a Vice-Captain." She closed her eyes, smiling, clearly under the impression that he was saving the spot just for her. "I'm training hard! Then I can be like you! Aizen Taichou will be so proud!" She was bright crimson at this point, red enough to make a bull angry. Kira laughed lightly at this, but stopped when the conversation turned on him.

"So, Kira, is being Sanbantai Fukutaichou the good life?" Renji nudged his ribs a little bit harder than was necessary. "I'm kinda sorry about who your captain is, though."

"Why?" Kira said defensively. "Ichimaru Taichou is quite capable! And he's always been there to help me out. He's been very good to me." Kira wasn't entirely sure where all that had come from, having spilled from his lips before he could filter it out. Even his tone of voice was convincing.

"Exactly, Renji, how can you say something like that?" Hinamori asked earnestly. "Ichimaru Taichou was our Vice-Captain for four years. He's well suited to be Captain. And he's the one who helped Kira-kun get back at those nasty Eleventh Squad bullies."

"Helped him or not, that guy's always kinda creeped me out," Renji shuddered. "It's not just me, right?"

Nobody agreed or disputed. Instead there was an awkward silence that fell around them. Shuuhei crossed his arms, Hinamori wrung her hands, Kira fiddled with Wabisuke's hilt, and Renji ran his fingers through his ponytail. They spent the next few minutes looking around at each other or the ground.

"Hey." Shuuhei broke the silence and had taken his arms out of their fold, pointing at Kira's wrist, where skin was exposed as the cloth on his sleeve was tugged on by the Lieutenant badge. "You wearing a bracelet or something?"

"Hey, yeah." Renji looked up and snatched his friend's arm out of the air to examine it closely, "what the hell is on your arm?"

"What are you talk . . .?" Kira started, but looked at his own arm and found, to his horror, that there was a dark purple bruise tattooed around his wrist. Hinamori came over to look as well, concernedly, and Kira instinctively hid his other wrist behind his back, racking his brain for a plausible explanation. Anything would do, anything that wasn't the truth. "Must be left over from that time . . .I guess . . ."

"I heard about that," said Shuuhei quietly, "but this looks fresh. You weren't attacked more recently, right?"

"No, of course not," Kira said, avoiding his eye and pulling his wrist back. "Just forget it, I probably just bumped into something."

"I think I've seen something like this before," Renji muttered, grabbing it again and studying it even more carefully. Kira knew that he had come from a rougher background than many other Shinigami, especially a lower noble like himself, but he somehow doubted (and hoped against the idea that) Renji would recognize the bruises for what they actually were.

"Oh, damn, Kira, we gotta go," Shuuhei said suddenly, glancing up at the large clock that watched over Seiretei. Kira gladly wrenched his hand away from Renji, thankful that he had somewhere to be, waved a slightly awkward goodbye to the other two, and stepped after the Ninth Squad Lieutenant.

"It's this way," Shuuhei said, turning a sharp right, marching along quickly. "It's really not good to be late on your first day. Pick up the pace."

Kira agreed and hastened to move his tired legs, trying to keep close behind Shuuhei's twisted path towards the first squad, when a question arose on his mind.

"Senpai," he started. Shuuhei had no response to being addressed in this manner. Kira tried again. "Hisagi-san."

Shuuhei gave a half-glance back to show he had heard, but continued running on as though neither of them had said anything.

"Hisagi-san, what was your first day as a Lieutenant like?"

"Um . . ." Shuuhei seemed to be thinking hard. Kira felt that meant it wasn't quite a memorable day; but then again Shuuhei had already known he had a place amongst the Gotei 13 when he was in school, since he had been placed in a seated position before he graduated. It was a completely different situation. "It was alright. I was nervous, I guess, but Tousen Taichou was kind. He mostly leaves me to my own devices, anyway. He's got lots of work. Why, Kira?"

"Just curious."

"Don't be too afraid, it's not such a difficult job," Shuuhei continued, offering a piece of advice. "Just remember that your Captain is usually right, and he knows what's best for the Seiretei."

Speak for yourself, Kira thought.

After the meeting, the Vice-Captains began to file out. As Hinamori had said before, Squad Five's spot was empty, as was Squad Six. Kira had not met many of the other Lieutenants before, and had kept himself busy looking around at them. For Squad Two there was a very large man with a purple collar who didn't look very intelligent; Four was a meek woman with light purple hair, he had seen her when he was in the sick ward a few weeks ago; Squad Seven was represented by a tall man who wore sunglasses, despite the fact that they were indoors and the room was dark; Squad Eight brought a young woman with glasses who looked like one you shouldn't cross; from Squad Ten there was a very pretty woman with strawberry-blonde hair and a large set of breasts, which she had no shame in showing off; Squad Eleven was comically represented by a short girl with bright pink hair. At first, Kira had thought she had gotten lost on her way to somewhere else, but she was confirmed to be a Lieutenant during role-call. Another woman was Vice-Captain of Squad Twelve, though she stayed silent and was seemingly uninterested. Squad Thirteen actually had two people sitting in, both short, one a young woman with light hair the other a young man with black hair. They were obviously in competition and kept arguing about who was more suited to be there. Kira looked across the room at Shuuhei every few minutes, but he seemed strangely engrossed in the meeting. He wondered if it just took some getting used to.

The last person to leave was Shuuhei, who stopped to ask why Kira wasn't going anywhere before heading out. Kira waited for his Captain in the now-empty room, thinking to himself all the while fingering the Lieutenant's badge, wondering about the other Vice-Captains relationships with their superiors, wondering about their attitudes towards them, and began to reflect on his own. Yes, he had always wanted to wear this badge, and under the same man whom he was serving under. He had dreamed of this sometimes, though never thought it likely to happen. He had wanted to be closer to the man who had so saved his life and watched his back all those years in school and afterwards. And he had wanted to know his silver-haired savior better, wanted a bond . . . but not like that. He never expected Gin to be vile. But he was, his mind told him. All through his schooldays, he aspired to be like Gin. And yesterday when he got the news, he had been ready to follow orders, ready to be his strong Vice-Captain. But now, it was all too much.

Kira spoke the last words to himself. No matter what, though, he said, pressing a hand on his chest and gripping the cloth at his heart, I still respect him. He protects me. He defends me. " Even though he . . ." Kira mumbled quietly, afraid to say it aloud, "last night, he . . ."

But I didn't refuse. A voice at the back of his mind awoke. I submitted. I let him.

Kira shook his head hard. "No."

I could have stopped him, it said.

"That's not true," he insisted. "That's not true, he's much stronger! I couldn't have stopped him if I tried!"

But I didn't try.

"I did! I couldn't do anything!" he fumed, frustrated tears forming at his eyes.

Then why aren't I doing anything about it now?

His stomach turned. This feeling he knew; it was terrible guilt. He should revere Gin with disgust. But I don't. He should want a transfer. But I want to stay. He should have run away, reported it, sought help, something that wasn't nothing. I can't. I won't. I don't want to. And here he was now, alone, waiting for Gin to come again, just waiting. Was this what his life was going to be like here on out? A constant argument with himself on what he felt was right verses what he knew was wrong?

Arms folded around him, wrapping tightly across his chest and shoulders. Kira snapped out of his bit of self-pitying. "Hiya," came his Captain's voice directly into his ear. Kira broke out of the hold and wheeled around. Gin stood tall and graceful, one hand on the hilt of his short sword. "Not bad reflexes," he said, drawing Shinsou. "But try this." He brought his sword down at a remarkable force and speed so that Kira had to jump backwards to avoid getting killed. Gin swung again, and Kira leaned sharply to the right. This was painfully familiar.

"No, that's no good," Gin scolded, "yer supposed to block not dodge. Let's try again."

Gin raised his zanpakuto, and Kira quickly drew his own, managing to block his Captain's swing a fraction of a second before it hit his shoulder. He was mildly impressed with himself, ready to counterstrike, but before he could even think the word out, he was forced to block another swing. And another. And another. Each new one came slightly faster, trying to cut at different parts of his body, and he barely finished meeting one before having to reflect another. His thoughts so concentrated on not getting sliced that when his back hit the wall, they broke; Shinsou clipped his fingers and blood ran slowly onto Wabisuke's handle. Kira had a few seconds to swallow the pain before blocking another swing aimed at his face. Gin pushed on this one, Kira struggling to keep the blade away from his eyes; yet he could tell Gin was going easy on him.

"Rule number one," Gin said, leaning forward with Shinsou so that his hair fell onto Kira's forehead, "never let yer opponent back ya inta a corner." Kira could see Gin's tongue beyond his smiling lips running along the inside edge of his mouth, as though teasing him, threatening to come out. Kira gave an involuntary whimper, and pushed forward with all his strength. Gin took a few steps backwards, slightly unbalanced.

"That's better," he said, regaining his grin, watching Kira nurse his injured hand as he stepped away from the wall.

"To more open ground," Gin said, wrenching his gaze away, and turning towards the door. "Come, Izuru."

Kira started after him, hand still against his mouth, following the feet of his superior, staring ahead at his silver hair, when two words came into his head that made him stop.

Lieutenant's duty.

He lowered his hand and sheathed Wabisuke. Is that really what it came down to? It was hisduty? To take all that Gin would dish out was his duty? To follow blindly and silently obey was what he was supposed to do, so that made it all okay?

"He's always kinda creeped me out."

And Renji wasn't the only one. There were many Shinigami that held hostilities towards his Captain. He had actually yet to meet one that didn't. Aside from himself.

"Izuru." Gin had stopped walking, sensing that his subordinate was no longer behind him. "Ya coming?"

Kira didn't reply, feeling thoroughly disgusted with himself.

"Izuru." Gin turned around. He was not smiling, something that struck Kira with a bout of fear; it couldn't possibly be a good sign. "Come," he commanded.

Kira sighed and started to walk, but Gin became quickly impatient and seized the hand that was not bleeding, pulling his body forward until they were less than a foot apart. Kira regained his balance and used his shoulder to move his hair aside. It was now that Gin smiled again, and marched on, tugging Kira along behind him.

"Let's go!" Gin said. "Don' want me to leave you behind, right?"

"No, Taichou," Kira answered automatically.

"Good!" he replied happily, pulling with more force than he needed. Kira wasn't about to run away.

"Then I can be like you!"

"Don't be so sure you want to be, Hinamori," he thought, looking down at the busy grounds, noticing how some of the Shinigami didn't bother to hide their stares at him as he passed. "Don't be so sure."