A/N: Dear God. You know you have too much time on your hands when you start seeing symbolism about life and death in spinning tops and wooden floorboards. I swear, if I stare at the wood graining any longer, I'm going to start seeing optical illusions and puppies and crocodiles or something. It's like a Rorschach ink blot test on the floor. And the fact that I'm noticing this is making me feel like a freak. Which is why I left my living room and came up to my room to update fanfiction. :)

Anyway, I apologize for the wait on this. As I said before, I was on vacation/tour in Europe. :D But I'm back now, which means more frequent updates. Maybe...

So, a bit of a glimpse into my dirty mind here. I had fun writing this one. The phallicism of zanpakutos certainly didn't help either. ;)

24: Concentration

"I thought we could work with your zanpakuto today," Sousuke said as they walked down the halls of the Fifth Division. "I see you brought Kiriaiseika, which is good." He smiled down at Sakura.

Sousuke hadn't let go of her arm since they had left Gin behind, and Sakura couldn't help but blush at the close proximity. His touch simultaneously thrilled her and unnerved her. She knew that it wasn't proper―for a noble, especially― to have an illicit attraction toward her sensei. Nor was he of nobility, which automatically excluded him from the inner circle of potential lovers that the elders of the clan would approve of. Her blush deepened immediately as the thought crossed her mind. Illicit attraction? Potential lover? Sakura quickly calmed her tumultuous―not to mention completely inappropriate―thoughts and rearranged her features into a more neutral expression.

"…done it before?"

Sakura snapped back to attention, glancing at Sousuke, who was gazing down at her with warm brown eyes. "P-pardon?" She managed to stutter out, flushing with embarrassment. It was painfully obvious that she hadn't been paying attention, and the fragment of his question that she had heard did nothing to quell her humiliation. It had sounded quite suggestive to her ears, especially with where her thoughts had been just a moment ago.

Sousuke smiled understandingly at her, apparently unaware of her embarrassment. "I was asking whether or not you have performed Jinzen before."

"Oh," Sakura said dumbly. A moment later, she realized that she had to answer him. "Um, I've done it once or twice. But Kiriaiseika hasn't been particularly forthcoming."

"No?" The chestnut-haired lieutenant paused, seeming to ponder that for a moment before speaking again. "Why is that, do you think?"

Sakura shrugged, unsure. "I don't know. I can sense her there, but it feels like she's put up a barrier or something, and I just can't cross it, no matter what. And she won't talk to me."

Sousuke smiled down at his young student and let go of her arm, instead choosing to wrap his own arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, Kuchiki-chan. I'm sure we'll figure it out together."

The noble girl nodded idly, her thoughts distracted by Sousuke's strong arm around her shoulders, the comfortable weight of it pressing against her back. She hastily tried to convince herself that it was nothing, that it was just an innocent, friendly gesture. There was absolutely nothing to it. But there was always the small part of her that wished it were more.