This section will be a lot more passionate/lovey-dovey. Mostly between Hisagi and Kira, but some Kira/Ayasegawa fluffiness.

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The Night of Forgiving

Chapter 1:

The Trust Needed

Kira's mind swirled and he had a pounding headache as he stirred slightly hearing two faint yet rich voices talking near him. Kyoraku was on the ground next to the soft plush couch that Kira was on and Ukitake sat in the middle of the couch on the edge in front of Kira. They both stopped there conversation as Kira slowly came to and his eyes fluttered open. He moaned softly and than squeezed his eyes shut and brought his left hand to wipe over his face until it hit a cool, damp cloth on his forehead. He went to grab it, but felt a soft touch on his hand.

"Leave it on. It's a medical patch, to help with any headaches and sooth your body and mind." Ukitake's voice came out smooth and rich as he lightly patted Kira's hand. Kira opened his eyes and met Ukitake's kind face and chocolate brown eyes. Ukitake smiled and went to take his hand back, but Kira caught it with his left hand and pulled it back placing it against his left cheek and dampened blonde fringe. As all the memories poured into his head he let out a quiet sob. Ukitake saddened slightly, but kept his smile in place as he turned his hand over and cupped Kira's cheek.

"What did I do..?" Kira choked out in a whispered. Kira squeezed his eyes tighter and let out a harsher sob. Kira knew the answers to his question and both Ukitake and Kyoraku knew that. They exchanged glances and Kyoraku pushed himself off the ground and stood up. Kyoraku leaned down slightly and brought his hand to brush across Kira's other cheek. Kira flinched and opened his eyes as he looked at Kyoraku.

"I'm going to go and see what's what. Stay here with Jushiro and rest, okay, Kira-san?" Kira swallowed and took a glance at Ukitake before looking back at Kyoraku and nodding. "Good. I'll be back soon." With that Kyoraku turned and strode out into the still pouring rain and black sky, sliding the shoji behind him shut. Ukitake turned his attention to Kira as he covered his face with his hands and mumbled something too soft for Ukitake to understand. Ukitake lightly squeezed his hand on Kira's cheek and than softly rubbed his thumb against it when he heard Kira sniffle and sob again.

"Shunsui-kun will make sure you are not in trouble, Kira-kun, do not fret so. I'm sure the 4th gets people coming in from local fights all the time."

"I... I hit him s-so... hic... hard! He... he was ble-bleeding all... hic... all over!" Ukitake's brow creased slightly at the confession, but he still kept soothing Kira by rubbing his thumb on his cheek.

"Who..? Who did you make bleed, Kira-san?"

"... Shuuhei..." It was so desperate and soft Ukitake almost didn't hear it. Ukitake stroked Kira's hair and lightly leaned in enough to kiss the back of his right hand. Kira lowered his hands slowly to look at Ukitake in confusion, still slightly sobbing and his eyes red-rimmed and wet. Ukitake smiled and sat back.

"If it was with Hisagi-fukutaicho, than it'll be fine. You two are very good friends, and I know how Hisagi-san is about his friends and how loyal he is. You could have tried to kill him and I am sure he would still forgive you a thousand times over. Especially since he- ah." Ukitake closed his eyes and lightly shook his head. Kira creased his brows and lowered his hands to his throat, right under his chin. He was ashamed and very embarrassed, but the smooth talking Taicho above calmed him enough that he didn't panic. And knowing that Kyoraku wasn't the one who turned him in made him trust the two Taichos all the more.

"What... sniff... about Shuuhei..?" Ukitake smiled more widely as he opened his eyes.

"Hisagi-san has confessed to me many times that he cares for you deeply, far more than a friendship." Kira's eyes widen and his mouth gaped slightly. Ukitake chuckled before he continued. "He was very confused about his romantic feelings for his friend, whom was also a man, and he wasn't sure what to do. He said how he had been in love with Matsumoto-fukutaicho, but after decades of spending time with his friend he had fallen in love with him instead. At first he refused to tell me who it was that he was in love with. In all honesty, I had started to believe it to be Tousen, since Hisagi-san was always so loyal to him, but when I had told whom I thought it was, he frantically confessed it to be you and not his Taicho." Ukitake chuckled again and Kira blushed feverishly. Kira was imaging what it'd have been like if Hisagi had been in a relationship with Tousen. Kira imagined the two naked and Kira squeezed his eyes shut instantly in embarrassment. Many did not find Tousen attractive, but Kira had accidentally walked in on Tousen in the public 4th Division bathhouse while he was still naked and had been very glad that Tousen was blind-he didn't see Kira's arousal. He recalled Tousen's long dreaded hair falling pass his shoulders and dripping the healing water and the lean, muscular body and very impressive manhood, if Kira had a say in anything of it. Kira shook his head to try and remove the thoughts as he opened his eyes and looked up at Ukitake. Ukitake was looking at Kira with slight amusement in his eyes as his smile grew a little sly. "And just what were you thinking, hmm?"

"No-nothing!" Kira blushed more when he realized he must have been giving a very odd face when he was thinking back to seeing Tousen nude. He pulled himself back and than sat back as he was held up by the large white pillow with floral designs on it behind him. He started a bit when he realized he had been changed into an olive-green man's kimono that was very loosely tied. As Kira quickly retied the sash Ukitake stood up while he laughed at Kira's obvious embarrassment. He walked over to a traditional looking wooden low table and picked up a beautifully decorated tea pot that still had steam rolling off of it. He than picked up a delicate tea cup and poured some light green liquid into it. Kira looked around the room slowly, realizing he must be in the Taicho's personal quarters. The room was medium sized and had two shoji doors; one that was opposite Kira and another to the wall right of the couch. The walls were all natural beige wood and a large, opened fan hung on the wall. There was a white and orange koi fish embroidered onto the fan along with some indications of water around it. The tip of the fan's top had teal colored fringe coming out of red beads. Kira smiled at the fan and than continued to study the rest of the room. It was rather empty other than the couch and some decorations similar to the large fan. There was a small single bamboo stick growing out of a small ceramic vase on a stand a few feet from the exit and and large, rectangular scroll hung from the wall opposite the wall with the large fan. It had a painting of a Hime and a samurai fighting a demon in traditional Japanese art form. Kira's eyes slowly moved back to Ukiake as he brought the piping hot cup of tea to Kira. Ukitake handed him the tea and Kira hesitantly took it in both his hand.

It was warm and inviting, just like Ukitake, but Kira felt himself go sick because of it. He didn't believe he should be rewarded for having badly hurt his friend, both physically, and now he knew emotionally as well. Kira stared down at the tea and watched as it swirled a design and than he closed his eyes and sighed. Ukitake sat back down at the edge of the couch and looked the mess of a Fukutaicho in front of him. His heart turned at the thought of Kira having been so violent towards another, but he understood it somewhat now that Kyoraku had briefed him while Kira had been unconscious. Kira had been used by Ichimaru and now he and Hisagi had had a one night stand as far as Kira was concerned. Ukitake felt sad and wanted to hold Kira and let him know he wasn't the only one who had been hurt by the three defectives but he knew deep down that wouldn't work. Ukitake saw what Kyoraku and the others failed to see. He could see the strength and dormant dominance which had been beaten down by Ichimaru. Kyoraku, like many of the others, believed Kira to be either weak or willingly submissive or both. Ukitake saw that that was not true. Kira seemed to be rebelling from having been so misunderstood, so beaten, so... broken.

"Kira-kun..." Kira opened his eyes and looked up at Ukitake, trying to form a smile to help lessen the worry in Ukitake's handsome face.

"Hmm? What is i-it," Kira closed his eyes tightly and sighed. Inwardly he cursed himself for having stuttered and for having such a bothersome speech disorder. He swallowed and opened his eyes looking at the Taicho. "What is it, Ukitake- Taicho?"

"Did you have feelings for..." Ukitake looked away at the floor beneath him and swallowed slightly. "... for Ichimaru?" Kira's eyes grew wide and his mouth gaped wide as he tried to formulate an answer only to unconsciously loosen his grip on his tea cup, pouring some of the tea onto his bare chest. He gasped sharply as the tea scolded his chest, making him fling the cup off and let the healing patch on his forehead fall as he jumped off the couch.

"Aah! Dammit, that's hot!" Ukitake quickly ran over to the low table and got a golden cloth napkin as Kira stood up and had pulled the kimono top away from his chest as to not get it wet, too. Ukitake unfoled the cloth as he returned and started to lightly press it onto Kira's chest to soak up what tea was left. Kira cursed a bit but took the cloth from Ukitake saying he can take care of himself as politely as he could muster and began to more roughly wipe the tea off. Kira wiped his face dry of the droplets that had gotten on his cheek and chin and than wiped down the length of his neck. Ukitake was taking this in. Kira was definitely not meant to be submissive, regardless what others thought. He had a mind of his own and obviously liked doing things his own way. It had only been manipulated by Ichimaru, not destroyed. Ukitake let a soft smile roll across his lips as he thought about this. "What..?"

"Huh?" Ukitkae snapped back from his thoughts as Kira gave hm a questioning look. "Oh, um-nothing, Kira-san. Are you alright? Do you need some cool water or healing salve?"

"Please, it's ok, Ukitake-taicho. It wasn't hot enough to cause that much damage. It just took me by surprise, that's all."

"If you think so. Sit back down, I'll clean the tea up." Ukitake moved towards the broken tea cup and spilt tea but Kira quickly grabbed his left arm with his right. Ukitake stopped and turned to look Kira in his eyes.

"I will clean it. I was the one whom carelessly threw it aside so I should be the one to clean it up, Ukitake-Taicho." Ukitake smiled and brought his hands to Kira's shoulders. Kira's eyes widened slightly at the sudden contact.

"Thank you, that's honorable of you, but you have just been through a lot. I will clean it up. Sit down and rest. Please." Ukitake smiled warmly and Kira sighed as he nodded and backed up letting Ukitake's hands slide off his body. Kira sat back down on the couch as Ukitake knelt down and began to pick up large chunks of the broken cup. Kira's thoughts began to become unnerving again. He wondered if it wasn't lust that he had felt from Hisagi that night, but love. He was confused now.

'Shuuhei-kun loves me. Me? He always talked about Rangiku-san... I would have never even imagined he liked any guy like that. Let alone... love.'- Kira than recalled a haiku that Hisagi had written and given to Kira to edit and look at for errors. It was a love haiku and Kira had dismissed it for being for Matsumoto. Now he was wondering if it had been for him. Kira blushed at the thought.

"Ukitake-taicho..?" Ukitake got up with the golden napkin filled with the remains of the tea cup. Kira blushed more and looked away, uneasy because of his thoughts. "Shuuhei-kun, he re-really said th-that he... that he loves me..?" Ukitake smiled broadly at Kira's question.

"Yes. And I know it to be true. I can tell by the way he looks at you when you guys are together or when he sees you far off. His eyes fill with a warmth and a very deep passion."

"...'Passion'..?" Kira mindlessly repeated. He raised his hand to his neck and brushed it softly remembering Hisagi's tongue and lips against it.

'Was that what I felt..? Passion..? Not lust..?'

"Yes, passion." Ukitake placed the napkin and cup remains on the low table. Than the shoji door opened and a drenched Kyoraku came in with an equally wet Abarai close behind with a scowl. Kira saw him and looked down in shame. He knew it was bad. Kira's shoulders tensed up and he bit his lip as the two walked in. Kyoraku walked over towards Ukitake asking what happened with the cup. "Kira-san spilled some tea and got hurt, which in turn made him drop the cup. Nothing to worry over, Shunsui-kun." Kyoraku glanced at Kira and than at the tea a few feet away. He knew he didn't just drop it but let it go when Ukitake touched his arm with tender a embrace. Kyoraku patted Ukitake's arm lovingly and than looked back at the hunched over Kira, obviously awaiting a horrid outcome.

"Kira-san..." Kira started at Kyoraku's rich voice and looked up, but than quickly averted his eyes, not wanting to look at his too long. He was sure he would be told to give up his position or even told he was required to receive help from Unohana now, his eyebrows slowly creasing. He wanted to only know one thing though.

"Is Shuuhei-kun alright, Kyoraku-taicho..?" Abarai stepped forward a foot at that, making Kira flinch slightly.

"Besides having gotten a broken nose and a couple o' black eyes?" Kira sunk a bit lower out of hate for himself. Abarai saw this and sighed heavily making Kira look up at him with the fear in his eyes evident. "But as far as Unohana and everyone else is concerned, me and Shuuhei got into it bad after drinking a lot and I got him pinned before he could react and beat his face."

"What? But - why?" Kira stared at Abarai with wide, confused eyes and gaped his mouth after speaking. Abarai looked away as he scratched at the back of his head out of nervousness.

"Look, after you went all berserk-commando out there I was honestly confused. And pissed off. Shuuhei had only said you got hurt and should be getting out soon and so Rangibku-san and I said we'd come along even though Shuuhei-kun was being all weird 'bout it, but finally gave in and let us. He hadn't said shit 'bout why you where there." Kira was slowly lowering his head and his face was screwing into a distraught state. He had made a very horrible mistake because of his swelling hatred he had let build up for far too long. Kira started to lightly shake his head.

"I'm sorry... So sorry..." whispered Kira. Abarai came closer to Kira and lazily brought his left arm up to Kira's viewpoint. Kira stared at his hand and than looked up at Abarai more confused. Abarai closed his eyes and sighed again.

"Shuuhei wanted me to take you back there so you two could talk." Kira swallowed and lowered his eyes. "He said to only come if you want to, not to come cause you're worried or something. Shuuhei's fine now that Unohana got to him. She just wanted him to stay the night so 'we' wouldn't get into another fight."

"What..." Kira looked back up at Abarai. "What will happen to you, Renji-kun..?" Abarai shrugged.

"Besides a boring lecture from Unohana and a mountain of paperwork with and even more boring lecture on honor and what not from my Taicho..? Not much, probably. Now you gonna go see him or not..?" Abarai gestured his head slightly as he wiggled his fingers on the hand outstretched to Kira. He began to reach up with his right hand to grab Abarai's hand, but an inch or two from it he hesitated.

"Go, Kira-san. You and Hisagi-san should talk things through. You two are good friends, you'll make it." said Ukitake softly as he smiled at Kira. Kira looked at him and than took Abarai's hand. Abarai tugged Kira off of the couch and patted his shoulders.

"Ukitake-taicho is right, Izuru-kun, it'll be cool once you guys talk what ever shit that's going on through." Kira smiled at Abarai's words and than looked at Kyoraku and Ukitake.

"Thank you. Both of you. You've both been very kind to me and I know to trust both of you-uf-" Abarai playfully punched down on Kira's shoulder. Kira smiled wryly at Abarai and rubbed his shoulder. "-all-of you."

"Come on, let's go before it pours any harder out there so you don't look too much like Hell when we get there. Shuuhei would worry more 'bout 'ya."

"Yeah," Kira said as he followed Abarai out the door and began to use shunpo to get to the 4th Division. "Shuuhei-kun always worries about everything."

"No, just you." Abarai smiled at Kira as he looked at him with a gaping mouth and cheeks as red as a cherry as they leaped along the buildings.

"What did Shuuhei tell you!?"

"Oh, not much. Just that you two are dating now."