It had been some time since he'd spent much time outside- being an assistant captain generally meant a lot of paperwork and personnel managing, and not a lot of time spent doing actual Soul Reaper work. Not that he had minded, no... it had been occasionally boring and always a lot of work, but it had been comfortable for him. He had accepted a long time ago that he simply wasn't a fighter. He could certainly handle a sword or a spell when he needed to, but it wasn't the driving force of his life. Not like some.
But the ability to sink himself into paperwork was largely gone now. When a squad didn't have a captain, there was little need for an assistant captain. He was mostly a glorified squad member now, with many of the same responsiblities he'd spent his time delegating before.
He wouldn't complain. It was better than being arrested and jailed for treason.
Izuru sighed, curling his fingers more tightly around Wabisuke's hilt and shifting uncomfortably where he sat. According to his orders, he was on patrol. For exactly what he was to be looking, he was unsure, but it wasn't as though anything out of the ordinary had happened the past few nights. Or the week before, for that matter.
He'd expected to never see outside of a cell again. After all, he'd clashed blades with another company on the behalf of his own captain- even then a known traitor- and covered his tracks for some time. All of Soul Society was in an uproar, searching for Aizen, Tousen, and Captain Ichimaru, and yet, those who had rebelled to follow them were completely ignored, returned swiftly to their previous jobs without a word.
To be exact, there were only the two of them. And to be fair, for that matter, Hinamori had been entirely decieved, hoodwinked by her own trust in her captain. Aizen Sousuke, for whatever else he was, was a masterful actor.
Izuru didn't exactly have that excuse. When he'd fought with Rangiku, he'd known what Captain Ichimaru planned to do- not through any deductive powers of his own, but because his captain had simply told him.
And he'd told no one.
Captain Hitsugaya, Rangiku, and Hinamori were the only ones who knew, as far as he could tell. Hinamori kept quiet because she understood, at least a little, or so she had said. Rangiku had accepted his apology without hesitation, but maybe she understood too- she and Captain Ichimaru had been, if not close, acquainted and friendly. Her captain, on the other hand, was still a complete puzzle to him. He had said something about how he should be careful about blind loyalty in the future and then refused to address the subject again.
As ungrateful as it was, Izuru still lived in the constant worry that he would lose his patience and tell. He'd even considered confessing several times, but rationalized it away with the belief that he was doing Soul Society more good now, out in the field, than he could inside of a cell. Regardless of where he deserved to be.
All he could do was try to make up for whatever damage he had caused. Izuru sighed, securing Wabisuke to his belt more tightly, then struggled up to his feet. He'd move a few hundred yards to the south and then sit for another fifteen minutes. While it wouldn't make any difference in whether or not he could sense something coming, it would be a change in scenery, at least.
"Sure is cold."
Izuru found himself opening his mouth to agree before the lazy drawl had even completely registered. He turned sharply on a heel, hand clenching hard on his blade's hilt, shoulders tensing painfully.
"Captain Ichimaru," he said dumbly, suddenly not sure if he could manage to unsheathe Wabisuke- or even if he should.
"Now, now, Izuru." The twitch across his smile was one of pure amusement. "I'm not your captain anymore."
"What are you doing here?" That didn't help him relax. There was no indication of malice or even aggression in his stance, but then, there never had been.
Ichimaru took a few steps past him, hands hidden in his sleeves, face tilted up. "Just sightseein'," he said unassumingly. "I suppose you're workin'?"
"Yes s-" Izuru shook his head quickly. "Yes. I am." He was working. Working, for Soul Society, watching for threats.
Ichimaru Gin was the very definition of a threat.
"Well, I certainly don't wanna bother you while you're workin'..." Ichimaru swayed absently where he stood, the ends of his coat curling in the wind. "I know how 'mportant your job is. I gave it 't you, after all."
"C-Captain, I-" His hand tensed on Wabisuke again. "You shouldn't be here. You know you shouldn't be here."
"Y'gonna turn me in?" His head turned toward him slightly, the easy smirk not tightening in the slightest. "Oooh.. how scary, Izuru!"
He bit the inside of his cheek, then shook his head, hand releasing on the hilt. "What good would it do?" he whispered, casting his eyes down.
If the rest of Soul Society had no chance, there was no way he did. And he didn't know if there was anyone as familiar with Captain Ichimaru's abilities as himself.
"Now, now." A finger tapped his chin, urging his face up. "You've no faith in youself. Why don'tcha try?" Slitted eyes were focused firmly on his face, a tiny pout clouding his smile. "Come now, you've never raised your blade t' me."
"Because I'm not a fool, Captain." Izuru didn't shy from his touch, but was unable to stop the shiver than ran up his spine.
"Silly thing... think I'll hurt you?" Ichimaru squeezed the very tip of his chin between a thumb and a forefinger, chuckling. "Are ya afraid..?"
It was hard to answer yes or no, and so he just looked up at him plaintively, hoping he would turn away. It wasn't exactly fear, wasn't even quite respect, but something like fascination, something that tightened in his throat and made it impossible to turn away.
Ichimaru chuckled again, patting his cheek affectionately, then let his hand retreat into his sleeve. "Silly thing," he said again, the amusement in his voice stinging a little.
"Why did you come?" Izuru asked quietly, hands limp at his sides.
"I toldja'," he shrugged casually. "No real reason."
If it were anyone else, Izuru would have been suspicious of that answer. But as dangerous and unexpected as it was, Captain Ichimaru taking a midnight walk into enemy territory for no apparent reason was not an impossibility. So he just nodded, accepting it. "And you were suppressing your reiatsu to avoid trouble, I suppose?"
"Oh, I was?" His lips curved a little more. "Maybe I was sneakin' up on ya."
"Captain..."
Inexplicably, his expression tightened, hands sliding out of his sleeves. "Maybe I came t' steal ya," he said softly, a low note of danger slithering into his voice. "Maybe things got a little boring..."
Izuru took a step back before he could contain himself. "If- If you'd wanted me with you, you would have taken me from the beginning," he said, hating the way his voice broke halfway through.
Just like that, it all dissolved into a light laugh, his smile warming again. "Smart boy." A hand lifted to tug playfully at the ends of his hair. "No... you'll stay here."
"Why?" It ached in his chest somewhere to say it, to actually articulate the words. "Why... why didn't you take me with you? You- you told me everything, and I- I didn't tell, Captain Ichimaru, and I-"
"Yes, yes." It was impossible to not be soothed by his voice. "I know. You were very, very loyal t' me, Izuru."
"So why?" he whispered, shoulders tightening under the hands that laid lightly over them.
Ichimaru cocked his head. "Would you have come?"
Izuru opened his mouth to respond, then paused. Would he?
"I don't know," he finally said, eyes falling, almost ashamed.
Ichimaru squeezed his shoulders with a characteristic smirk. "You were always such a good boy," he said lightly, almost teasing. "Tell ya what... consider it your last order, Izuru."
He nodded obediently, still not able to meet his eyes.
"Now... how on earth are ya gonna explain meetin' me like this?"
At that, Izuru's head shot up, a distinct sense of panic choking him. "Captain," he protested quickly, "I don't understand-"
Ichimaru was grinning. "Well, what if I let my reiatsu flare up, hmm? What then? I'm sure everybody'll be so curious..."
"That's cruel," he said helplessly, hands fisting.
Ichimaru was advancing on him, the smirk inhumanly wide. "Why, it'll be so suspicious! You bein' my vice captain an' all."
"I'll- I'll say I didn't see you." He was almost pleading now. "Captain, what good will it do?"
A hand closed on his shirtfront- not hard, just enough to tug him slightly offbalance. "Silly... none at all."
"Then why?" Izuru grabbed onto his wrist, if only for some sort of grounding.
"Why not?" He brushed a light, teasing kiss over his forehead, then his ear. "Poor Izuru... why so scared?"
"Because they'll arrest me for treason." There was no reason to lie. "Because if they know I've been with you, and didn't try to apprehend you-"
"Oh, is that it now?" Ichimaru's other hand flattened against his back, breath warm against his ear. "Then try to apprehend me! Isn't it that simple?"
Izuru shook his head quickly, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'm no match for you, Captain. They know that."
"Mm, tricky... they'd expect you to come back bruised and bloody, I suppose..." A few fingertips stroked down the side of his neck.
Izuru tensed.
"I can do that."
The force of the blow that cracked over his jaw sent him reeling, forcing him back onto one knee. The arm that flew up to protect his face was summarily wrenched away, the air exploding out of his lungs under the pressure of the heel that slammed into his ribs. Izuru collapsed face-first into the dirt, fingers scrambling for some kind of hold, eyes shut tight against the explosions of pain raining down over his back and shoulders. Something cracked in his ribs, he felt a cry of pain tear out of his throat, and he couldn't move away.
Then, just as soon as it had begun it was over, and Ichimaru was sliding strong arms around his back and pulling him from the ground, whispering soothing nonsense in his ear and stroking the dirt from his face and hair. Izuru shook, torn between pulling away and relaxing into his hands. They were gentler now, soft and comforting, the brush of his lips against his ear as he whispered making him shiver.
He had never understood this. Not once.
Ichimaru held him easily in his lap, reclined against the rock Izuru had been sitting on. "Poor darlin'," he soothed, pressing little kisses to his scraped cheek, the twinges of pain eclipsed by the heat in his chest. "It's always been so hard for you."
Izuru lifted his face hopefully, almost instinctually. Ichimaru chuckled before kissing him softly on the mouth, biting lightly at his lower lip, one palm easing past the fold of his shirt to tease over the skin.
A moment later, he came to his senses and jerked back, gasping for air, trying to suppress the flush that was threatening his cheeks. At that, Ichimaru laughed, one eye slitted halfway open.
"Captain," he said heavily, laying a palm on his chest and trying halfheartedly to push away. "Don't, please."
"No?" His expression didn't deviate, the grin relentless. "Oh, Izuru... ya always say no."
"And I always mean it." Ichimaru chuckled, and he shook his head. "No, no, I do..."
"Of course y'do." Teeth closed on his neck with a sharp, sudden pinch, and Izuru gasped, gritting his jaw.
"Don't patronize me, Captain." He squeezed his eyes shut, fingers curling into the front of his jacket. Ichimaru just chuckled deep in his throat, the hand on his chest pushing a bit lower to drag over his stomach.
"I'm hurt," he murmured against his collarbone, lifting his hand to pick at the tie of his belt. easily undoing the knot and laying Wabisuke to the side. "Would I do such a thing?"
"Please stop," he said tightly, trying to keep his breathing steady. "I- I need to get back to the squad-"
Fingers darted almost playfully down the front of his hakama, and Izuru hissed, legs jerking uncontrollably. "Oh?" Ichimaru whispered, tracing up the pleats in the cloth and folding his palm over him. "What's this?"
Izuru just bit his lip and shook, refusing to answer. Ichimaru laughed softly, fingers moving over the cloth, teasing and tightening for a few agonizingly short moments before gripping his thigh, pulling his legs apart and easily setting Izuru astride his lap.
"C-Captain!" He toppled forward, catching himself on Ichimaru's shoulders, winding his arms around his neck out of habit. "You-"
"Now, isn't this more comfortable?" Ichimaru beamed up at him, hands smoothing up his legs before tugging firmly at the waist of his hakama.
"Don't." Each brush of a fingertip on his skin made him cringe and shiver, and he tightened his arms around him, squeezing desperately. "Please."
"Why don'tcha stop me?" The whisper danced hotly over his ear, the cold wind sweeping down his now-exposed legs.
"Because I can't." Izuru buried his face in Ichimaru's shoulder, back tense and shuddering. "I c-can't."
"Shhh," Ichimaru soothed, one hand smoothing down a leg, teasing at the cold skin, the other adjusting the front of his own hakama. "I know, I know."
Izuru lifted his face, and two bright slits were regarding him, the curl of his lips predatory and patient.
The first time he'd done this, it had hurt more. He wasn't sure if it was because he had grown used to it, or because of the steadying hands on his hips guiding him that weren't usually there, but it was easy, quiet. Almost comfortable. Izuru took a deep, shuddering breath, wriggling a little, hands digging into Ichimaru's shoulders.
Ichimaru squeezed his hips, then sat back slightly, leaning against the rock and watching him. Izuru closed his eyes, leaning forward against him, gasping quietly.
"Come on, now," Ichimaru coaxed, his only lapse in calm a slight shiver in his voice. Without another thought, he obeyed. shifting his hips and moving jerkily, pushing onto him and then lifting back, trying to breathe. He could feel his cheeks darkening, the skin heating, shivers and cringes tensing up and down his spine. A hand caught his face, and he was glad for the domineering kiss to smother the whimper that rose in his throat.
"Captain," he managed, and Ichimaru purred, a hand clenching hard on his side, fingers pressing into a forming bruise. Izuru felt himself yelp, but it was so easily ignored, that twinge of pain falling by the wayside. At least the first did. His hands roamed, seeking out the tender wounds, alternating between caressing tenderly over the marks and pinching cruelly until the pain swelled behind his eyes and tore down his spine to meld into the heat exploding through his gut.
"iCaptain/i," he said again, and this time it came out as a low wail, his hips jerking. Ichimaru whispered something inaudible against his mouth, an arm tight around his waist.
His knees were caked with dirt and his shirt damp with sweat when he came, a low sob choking him. Ichimaru stroked his back, then tensed with a soft sigh, eyes closing again.
When the wind picked up again, it was even colder than before, but Captain Ichimaru's arms draped loosely around his waist kept most of it away from his skin. It seemed forever that he held him, with the same peculiar facade of affection he'd learned to both hate and need more than air in the years they'd worked together.
There was so much he'd meant to say, so many pleas and curses that had lingered on his lips until he woke in the Fourth Company squad house hours later, bandages curled around his arms and a nurse asleep by his bed. His assistant captain's badge lay beside his head, the cloth tied in a pert bow.
The sun had risen some time ago, but it was still so cold.