By the way, I do realize Hisagi is out of character (OOC) and I'll try to shape him better. But keep in mind people are also different in love-dovey situations.

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Chapter 4:

Drunken Detachment

"Matsumoto-kun..?" Kira timidly stuck his head in the large office doors. Matsumoto was sitting at a table and looked up at Kira when he spoke. She gave a weak, strained smile and told him to come in softly. She gestured to the chair across the table from her and Kira sat down formally. She poured him a cup of sake and held it out for him to take. He did so hesitantly, bringing it to his chest and looking into the cup at the clear liquid. He took a sip and placed it on the table.

'I'm getting too use to drinking this stuff...' - Kira thought absently.

"I'm sorry, Kira-kun... For being so jealous of you and Gin all the time... " Kira jerked his head up at the soft words. Matsumoto smiled more but her eyes were threatened with tears at the edges. "He always talked about you when we talked and than you became his Fukutaicho... You were always following him around with those big blues of yours gleaming at him... And he always smiled so sincerely for you."

" 'Sin..sincerely'..?" Kira was confused. He thought Ichimaru hated him and gave the same smile for everyone. Not just him. And he was just saying horrid tales of how Kira was a slut, that's all. Wasn't it..? "Wh-What did Ichimaru say..? About me?"

"Never anything too special. Just the usual taicho and fukutaicho things. You working hard while Gin skipped around taking care of his permission trees." Kira smiled slightly at the fond memory of Gin pruning his trees, no matter how disgusting the fruit was, Kira had to admit the sight was very beautiful and peaceful. Like when their relationship had began. Matsumoto closed her eyes and continued. "But... you could always tell how much more happy he was when he talked about you."

"Matsumoto-kun..." Kira looked at Matsumoto and than back at his grey cup. "I'm sorry for being jealous, too... In all honesty, when I attacked you on the roof that time I was more than willing to. Not just for Ichimaru, for my chance to get back at you for always being so close to him and getting him to be so soft... I'm sorry for that time, too. And for the other day, when I hurt Shuu-kun in front of you and Abarai-kun. I was just so... So..."

"Furious and confused..?" Kira nodded and sighed softly.

"Yeah..." Kira picked up the cup and downed the sake at the recollection of Hisagi bleeding on the ground. When he put the cup down Matsumoto handed him a whole jug of sake. Kira paused, looked at the large jug and than at his small cup and than smiled as he took the jug and took a big slush from it.

"Gin said you didn't drink too well. But you downed the cup and a quarter of the bottle in a second with ease!" Mused Matsumoto. Kira swallowed hard and than pulled the jug away as he lazily shook his head and smiled.

"Everyone's been making me drink with them lately. At first it burned and was kind of bad but now it's getting a bit good..." Kira took another swig and than winced slightly. "Still mostly bad though."

"Well, I got plenty to spare! How's Hisagi-san!?" Matsumoto seemed to brighten a bit with the new mix of alcohol in the conversation.

"He was much better this morning..." Kira looked back down smiling and blushing at the thought of him and Hisagi kissing passionately after waking up in each others arms. Kira took another, smaller, swig from the beige jug. Matsumoto had gotten up and walked over to a desk and pulled out two large bottles of what could only be assumed was sake. She put them down on the table and sat back down with a renewed freshness and Kira felt somewhat silly for having thought so badly of her in the past. She must have been in just as much pain as he was over Ichimaru's defection. He recalled Ukitake saying that she had needed his as well, and that appeared to be the case.

"Drink up! It's good for your health!"

"I don't know if it's 'good for your health' but I'm not too opposed to drinking since I don't have any work anytime soon." Kira drunk the sake haphazardly and choked slightly while a chirpy Matsumoto giggled.

"That's the spirit, Kira-san!"

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(KIRA'S P.o.V.)

I slowly tried to open my hazy eyes as I struggled to lift my aching and throbbing head. It was black except for a hint of light flickering back and forth. And even though I knew it was a very dim light, my pounding head told me it was too bright. I felt something warm and hard against my back and than as my senses slowly meld back into place I hazily realized I was not in a familiar room and someone was behind me and they held me close to them gently. I swallowed against a dry throat and coughed slightly at the itch that erupted from trying. The person behind me flinched and than snuggled closer. I froze as my senses cleared further.

'Just who was it that was behind me again..?'

I slowly turned to try and see but my head became obscured when the warmth of lips tenderly danced across my jawline and caused me to loose focus again and relax into the graceful arms and hard body. The lips and wet tongue make their way to my sensitive ear and whispered barely audible words.

"Are you alright, 'Zuru-san..?"

Hisagi Shuuhei. Of course it was him... I smiled at the thought and felt instantly content in his hold and nodded slowly. The last thing I had coherently recalled was bing-drinking with Matsumoto and talking about the old times with Gin... Gin? No, Ichimaru. Not Gin. ICHIMARU. I silently shook my head and the lips that were suckling on my earlobe stopped and Shuuhei asked me if I didn't like it.

"It's good... I just... I..." I shifted to face him but regretted it as my stomach wrenched in a sickly feeling. I felt my face blanch and I can tell Shuuhei was worried about me. "... I'm going to be sick!" Is all I said as I flung the blankets off and jumped out of the bed only to make it to the hard wood floor as bile erupted out of my mouth. I felt my body wrench harshly as I vomited on the cold floor.

"Izuru!" Shuuhei was instantly by my side holding my left fringe out of the way for me. He softly pet my arched back and whispered softer words. "It's just a hang over, hun. Get the toxins out so you'll feel better."

"Sh-Shuu..!" I gasped in between. My senses had come back completely and I realized I was throwing up on my best friend's... No. Lover's bedroom floor. After a few minutes the onslaught of disgusting bile stopped and Shuuhei took me to his small bathroom right outside his bedroom door. He said it was alright but I still felt horrid for doing it. Not wanting to take my chances I sat myself in front of the toilet and tried to not cry as my stomach ached and my nose stung from the unwelcomed bile. Shuuhei returned with a green cup though I didn't dare touch it than. He set the small cup on the counter to my left and than sat on the edge of the tub to my right as he began to rub my back again. "... I'm sorry..."

"It's alright. It's my fault..." I turned my head carefully so I could look him in the eyes. He kissed my temple and than continued. "... I found you passed out with Ran. I was going to take you to the 4th since you seemed in pretty bad shape... But, than I figured you probably wouldn't want to be there after all this, especially since Unohana-taicho would most likely be worried about you and make me keep my paws off of you..." Shuuhei smiled playfully and I smile as much of a smile as I could muster.

"Heh... Probably... Ugh..." I felt my stomach wrench again as I turned my face to the bowl again.

"Take it easy, 'Zuru-san... You put away a lot drinks earlier." I partially recalled the various bottles of alcohol Rangiku shoved into my hands. I waited but my stomach was only teasing me as nothing came up.

"... She want'd 'ta talk..."

"Ran..? About what..?" Shuuhei's tone tightened, but remained soft. I shrugged slightly as I reached for the small green cup.

"Ichimarhu, I guess..." I took a sip and swished it around before spitting it out to rid myself of some of the sour taste on my tongue. Than I took another sip and swallowed this time. I winced at the taste and feeling, but took a third sip and swallowed. "She... She aphallogized... And me, too... And 'dan she said weird things 'bout him..." My mind was starting to drift with tiredness and emotions as my words slurried and eyes stung.

"Like what?" Said Shuuhei as he kissed my forehead.

"She sthaid 'dat... he always talk'd good 'bout me... Real good, not... fake good..." My sight was beginning to blur again as tears neared. I looked at Shuuhei and I couldn't fight the sting of tears any more. I cried openly as Shuuhei took me into a tight embrace. "He... Hic... Couln't don 'dat really... Hic... Right, Shuus..?"

"No man who could have left marks that vicious could have honestly loved you, Izuru-san. I love you. And I would never purposely harm you unless it was for your own safety in the end. I couldn't beat you and make you bleed to get off. Just thinking of you hurt makes me feel dead inside..."

"...Shuu... I loves you..." I kissed his nose and than everything went black again as I relaxed in his grip.