I do love the idea of Shunsui X Jushiro (Kyoraku X Ukitake), so here is my first attempt at this pairing; hope you like it!

Warning: Possibility of some OOC characteristics and scenes of a sexual, adult nature.

Chapter One:

~ The Last Words ~

It didn't start out like this and I never intended for it to end up like this. It was supposed to be a bit of fun, we were both drunk and long before this we had been best friends. I loved the ladies, and he was a reserved and studious being with seemingly no interest in affairs of a carnal nature. Never the less, that night, when I introduced him to the joys of sake and he became utterly intoxicated we became something more than friends and yet it put a strain upon our relationship like never before.

He wasn't the first, and he wasn't the last... But he was the one I treasured the most. I just couldn't stop myself from craving the company of others; I honestly couldn't tell you if it was an addiction, or if it was because I was afraid to face the truth, I don't mean to paint myself as some kind of man-whore because that certainly had never been the case, I don't do it for the sake of doing it. The truth was that I was something that the society of the time couldn't even accept. Times have changed now but it still isn't easy to express when you have spent so many years hiding the truth. What is that saying? If you wear a mask for too long, you forget who you are underneath it? Yes, I couldn't agree more.

And it was the confusion and the fear of being rejected by society drove us to keep our one night stand a secret and although I began to feel as though I loved him, I chose to hide it and lock it away, never showing him that love except for the few times in later years that we slept together again; even then when he lay beside me naked and sated I would stay for only a while before dressing and leaving him to sleep. He told me many times that he loved me, but I never said it back to him.

When he got sick, I did worry constantly and I wanted to take care of him; I had him move into my room for a while so that I could keep a constant eye on him. But before long we both realised that his illness was on going and we couldn't continue to live together like we were. So he returned to his own room in his own division and his third seats took care of him instead. I visited often, but not so often that it was suspicious.

In hind sight, perhaps we were... No, perhaps I was too worried about what other people thought. Maybe I should have just admitted everything in the beginning and damn the consequences. But I abhor fighting, arguments and war... So for me, at least, it was easier to pretend nothing had ever happened. I never once considered what he might think of it, or what he might want. I hadn't realised I was so selfish, but at least I realise now, and maybe... Just maybe there is a chance that I can put it right. That is what I hope at least, that it isn't too late and he might forgive me for being a total pig-headed monster to him for all these long years.

~ The Last Words ~

Ukitake Jushiro, clad in a white and blue Shino Academy uniform, dashed up the stairs of the student's accommodation towards the third floor where he and his roommate (and best friend) lived during the school terms.

He scurried down the third floor corridor until he came to their room and flourished his key, unlocking the door and pushing it open. He cracked a smile as he saw his friend sat on his bed reading and shut the door behind him.

He bounded over to him and sat down beside him, waving a white envelope in front of his face, "I picked up your examination results, Shunsui!"

The brunette teen smiled warmly and took the envelope, "Thanks Jushiro, I would have gotten them... But it probably would have-"

"-Taken you all afternoon." He finished for him, smiling cheekily, "Yes I know."

Chuckling at how well his white haired friend knew him, Kyoraku Shunsui opened his envelope and pulled the folded sheet of paper from inside; before opening it up and seeing his results he turned to his friend once again.

"First tell me what you got." He demanded, his tone stern but playful.

Jushiro blushed slightly, "Do I have to?" he asked, already knowing that he had no choice; if he didn't tell him what score he had gotten, his friend would pin him down and wrestle his results from him like a crazy beast; admittedly it was very fun but it also had a tendency to end with black eyes, bruises and ripped clothes, "Alright, alright... I got 99% correct... I messed up on the question about medical kidou."

Eyes almost popping out of his head, Shunsui ripped open the sheet of paper and scanned the writing. He chuckled and shook his head, "Damn... 99%..."

"Well done!" Jushiro grinned and patted his arm, "I knew you would do well!"

"Yeah... I guess I shouldn't be surprised, we always get the same results!" he laughed.

He grinned at him, "That's because I always force you to revise with me."

"True, true... But still, it pays off so thank you." The brunette patted him on the back gratefully, "So, now we have six months before our end of year exams and then we are free to join a Division!"

"Yeah... I am terribly excited about it..."

"Same!"

Shunsui smiled at his friend before looking at the clock and cursing. He tossed his results onto the bed and jumped up, yanking on his sandals before grinning, "I'm gonna be late for my date if I don't get a wriggle on!" he laughed and headed for the door.

In his haste, he totally missed the expression of disappointment on his friend's face; Ukitake looked down as he heard the door close and he sighed heavily. Glancing at his friend's exam results, he took the paper and rustled through his own bedside cabinet. He pulled out a small, unused picture frame and slotted the results into it before resting it on Shunsui's bedside table. He smiled softly to himself before he sighed and plodded over to the window, just in time to see Shunsui sauntering down the wooden walkway with his arm slung around a young woman's shoulders; he was clearly talking quite animatedly to her.

He bit his lip and sighed once before shrugging it off and turning back to the room. He frowned at the mess on the floor (the majority was on Shunsui's side of the shared room he hastened to point out) and he folded his arms; he had sworn to stop tidying up after his best friend, however, he couldn't simply ignore the mess that was scattered across the floor. It was unhygienic and dangerous! Not to mention, what if he ever wanted to bring someone back to their room like Shunsui did constantly. He didn't want the first impression that someone got off him to be that he was a lazy slob!

Shoulders slumping in defeat, he grabbed the dustpan and brush from the small en-suit kitchen and began to sweep up the empty sweet wrappers, bread corners, crisp packets, microwave noodle pots and all the other junk. When he had done so, he threw them in the bin before flourishing a mop; he set about wiping down the warm wooden flooring.

He was a slave driver, and he knew it. Jushiro couldn't sit back while something needed doing. So, once he had mopped the floor and let it dry, he couldn't help but notice the piles of clothes that Shunsui had attempted to hide under his bed.

Shaking his head, he pulled them out and checked the pockets of the pairs of trousers he found just to make sure nothing was in them that would be damaged by a wash. His dexterous hands faltered as he felt a plastic packet in one of the pockets and he slowly pulled it out, his face fell as he found an empty condom packet resting in the palm of his hand and his eyes stung.

For some reason it became difficult to breath and to see; he didn't realise that his eyes had spilled over with tears until several dripped onto his shaking hands. He stuffed the packet back in the pocket and shoved his clothes back under the bed, he knelt there for a moment and tried to contain himself, not understanding for a moment why the sudden realisation that his best friend was having sex hurt so much.

Trembling, Jushiro got to his feet and disappeared into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him and locking it. He put the toilet seat down and sat on it, hugging his slightly skinny legs as he buried his face in his knees and cried quietly. He didn't care if he was being silly, he and Shunsui had always told each other everything and while he knew Shunsui had been spending the last six or seven months flirting his way around the second and third year girls he hadn't even considered that he might have been having sex with them. And Shunsui hadn't told him?

He scoffed, why would he tell him anyway? It wasn't any of his business what he decided to do, or who he decided to do it with for that matter... He was being childish!

Wiping his eyes and blowing his nose, he fought to get a grip of himself; he wasn't going to be such a baby about it, he was obviously just jealous that his friend no longer spent as much time with him whereas he should have been happy that Shunsui seemed to have got himself a girlfriend.

Nodding, Jushiro pulled himself together; splashing his face with cool water he emerged from the bathroom and sat down on his bed. He pulled a book from the shelves at the bottom of his bed and laid down on his front, opening the chosen book as he began to read, criss-crossing his leg behind him as he became engrossed.

It was about three hours later, when Shunsui finally put his key in the lock and opened the door to his shared room. The first thing he noticed was the spotless floor, clearly Jushiro had been unable to stop himself from cleaning up again and the next thing he saw was his white haired friend sprawled out on the bed, open book dangling from one hand while he dozed.

A soft smile graced his lips as he watched his friend sleeping, he knew how stressed Jushiro had been about the exams and as he had predicted, as soon as the results were in his friend had collapsed out and finally started to get some of the sleep he had been depriving himself of in the name of study.

Creeping over, he took the book from his hand and put it back on the shelf before turning back to him and gently laying a blanket over his sleeping, willowy frame. He leaned down and brushed some stray strands of white hair from his face and chuckled softly at the adorable expression on his friend's face. He paused momentarily as he saw dry tear streaks on his cheeks and he wondered what had happened to make his usually chipper friend cry.

Retiring to his own bed, he looked down as he stood on something and his eyes widened as he pulled a pair of trousers from under his bed and an empty condom packet fell out. The trousers had been a lot further under the bed before, so it was safe to assume Jushiro had planned to do the washing, and it was also safe to assume what had stopped him in his tracks.

He sighed hard, he had planned to tell Jushiro that he had started having intimate relations but he hadn't found the right time... He guessed that he didn't have much choice but to explain it to him now. Jushiro was sensitive and easily hurt, even by a comment that was off hand and had no heat behind it, he didn't like things being hidden from him and he really didn't like lies.

Even though he knew his friend had no sexual desires of his own he still deserved an explanation, in case he had to ask him to stay out for the night while he brought a girl back or something. His best friend deserved some explanation. Yes, when he woke up he would tell him properly.

But maybe he should get him a bit tipsy first...

Certain that he had not fallen asleep in the confines of a blanket, Jushiro woke with a start and sat up so fast that the room spun around him. Steadying himself, he saw Shunsui sat across the room from him looking sheepish.

"How long have I been asleep?" he asked with a yawn.

"A good few hours. But you probably needed it after all those late nights of study." The other replied with a weak smile.

He sighed, "Ugh... I feel terrible... My stomach is gurgling and I have backache."

"It will pass..." he paused and fiddled with the bottle of sake in his lap, "I know you found that packet in my trouser pockets."

"O-oh..." he looked down, "I'm sorry if you thought I was being nosy. I was going to put the washing on and I know you always hide your dirty clothes under the bed so... I just routed through the pockets to make sure there wasn't anything that would be damaged by water and... I found it."

"You cried."

"Wh-what?!" he squeaked, going bright red in the face.

"While you were sleeping... I saw the tear streaks." He tilted is head, "I'm sorry that you found out like that. I should have told you myself."

Jushiro sprang up off his bed like he had been stung, "No don't be silly!" he shook his head in a slight panic, "I... It is none of my business what you do! You don't need to be sorry about anything Shunsui!"

The brunette walked over, putting his arm around him: "Now tell me the truth," He chuckled, "I know you... I can see that it is bothering you."

Hanging his head slightly in embarrassment, Jushiro fiddled with his obi, "I... I guess I am... Worried that this will mean you don't want to hang around with me so much."

"What?!" he frowned in disbelief, "You... Jushiro you are my best friend, I would sooner cut off my own finger than grow distant from you."

"Really?" the uncertainty in his tone was cute.

"Really." He hugged him tightly and sighed, "You are my best friend; I could never trust anyone as much as I trust you."

A soft smile edged onto the white haired man's lips and he sighed, "Sorry for being silly."

"You never have to be sorry to me." Shunsui sighed, "Never, ever."

"Thanks." He murmured before clearing his throat and wriggling out from under his arm, "I put your exam results in a frame so they wouldn't get damaged... It's on your bedside table."

"Ah, cheers Jushiro. You really do think of everything!" he laughed and stood up, he checked the framed examination results before turning back to him, "Are you sure you're alright now?"

He smiled back at him, "Haha, of course I am; like I said, I was just being silly."

He conceded defeat on the matter and yawned, "Well it is getting kind of late... Nightcap?" he asked, already knowing it was more than likely that his friend would refuse.

"Yes, why not?" Jushiro replied with a light shrug.

His eyes widened momentarily and he stared at him, "Seriously?! I've been trying to get you to drink for years and you decide now is the right time?!"

The white haired teen chuckled, "Not at all, I merely think that considering I have already napped for a few hours a small nightcap may help me do so once again."

"Damn, for a moment there I thought you might have seen the light." He chortled and opened the bottom drawer of his bedside table, flourishing a rather large bottle of sake, "Come on, and let us sit comfortably!"

Shunsui sat on his own bed and crossed his legs, loosening his white kosode slightly as he cracked open the bottle, he looked across at his friend and patted the bed beside him, "C'mon, you can't drink it from over there, Jushiro."

"Hehe might be interesting to try." He said but scurried over and clambered onto his friend's bed.

Jushiro knelt down and watched as the other poured two very generous bowls of sake; he took one from him as he finished and sniffed the substance curiously, despite how many times Shunsui got drunk he never ceased to be amazed by the overpowering smell alcohol presented. When his best friend went on a bender at the weekend and then returned to their shared room he often considered the idea that his friend smelled like a brewery which had been set alight.

Chuckling at the thought, he watched the brunette down the bowl of sake in one gulp and looked down at his own; he sighed slightly and lifted the bowl, chucking it down his throat and swallowing it. He was overwhelmed by the strong warming sensation that erupted inside his body as the alcohol sped down his throat towards his stomach. He shivered and cringed slightly at the bitter after taste, looking back at his friend, "How can you enjoy drinking that?!" He asked in disbelief.

"It's alright after the first couple." He replied with a shrug, topping up their bowls.

Looking unconvinced, and against his better judgement, Jushiro downed the second drink in the same manner as the first. He groaned in distaste and cringed, shuddering as he felt the same sensation as before flooding his senses, "Blugh! There really is no account for taste!"

"Don't be such a snob Jushiro!" he laughed, "It takes a bit of getting used to is all!"

He stuck his tongue out but rubbed his eyes as a slight mist began to befall him; he grumbled unintelligibly and simply settled upon pouting.

Shunsui chuckled at his friend's reaction to only two bowls of sake, but then again, he supposed that this was a rather strong brand and considering his friend was usually teetotal it was to be expected that he would get a tad tipsy a tad fast. Being more used to the drink, it usually took him about four or five bowls before his head started to swim and he certainly intended to get there!

Topping their drinks up again, he watched his friend guzzle down the drink like it was water, oh boy, Jushiro was going to have a headache in the morning.

They sat drinking together until over half the bottle was gone and by this time they were both well and truly inebriated. Jushiro was having to lean against his friend in order to remain sitting upright and he was giggling at the most minute of things. Shunsui, for his part, was a little better off, he could still remember his own name at least... Maybe...

Jushiro reached for the bottle, a delicate blush over his high cheekbones and arched over the bridge of his nose; he scraped the bottle with his fingers but whined in complaint as Shunsui held it out of reach stubbornly. Pouting once again, he clambered over his friend, sitting on his lap and reaching for the bottle again.

Shunsui laughed at his friend's sudden eagerness to drink and put the bottle aside, grasping his lithe and pale wrists in one of his slightly larger hands and pinning them above his head.

"Now what are you gonna do?" the brunette smirked faintly.

Jushiro's pout grew more pronounced as his hands were captured, "Shunsuiiiii~" he complained, whining loudly and wriggling, "Let me go..."

He let out a short gasp as he was wriggled against, feeling heat shoot into his loins at the contact, he stared at his drunken friend and his lips parted as his tongue flicked out and moistened his suddenly dry lips.

He was no stranger to the feeling of arousal, but he certainly was a stranger to the feeling of arousal being spurred on by another man. He would happily admit that he had always considered his white haired friend to be quite petty for a guy, but he had never felt sexually attracted to him before!

And yet here was the feeling of his blue hakama becoming slightly too tight around his groin, the heat pooling in his lap scorched him to the very core as he observed his naive friend squirming on his lap, blushing so adorably and his eyes glazed by alcoholism.

Had he been sober, he would have released his friend and sauntered into the bathroom for a short, sharp cold shower to get rid of his semi-erection. However, he wasn't sober; he was paralytic and he had an ache in his nether regions.

So instead of doing the better of his two options, he rolled them and pinned the slighter body of his friend beneath him; he looked down into his chestnut eyes for a moment before pressing their lips together in a heated mess of drunkenness and intoxicated lust.

Jushiro stilled in surprise for a moment as he was kissed, uncertain how to accept such a gesture; he let his eyes slid closed and he returned the kiss with fervour, moulding his lips against his friend's as they parted and their tongues met.

The temperature rose drastically in the wake of their kiss; releasing Jushiro's hands, he ran his own down the other's arms and rested them on his waist, letting his body press against him with his full weight; feeling the outline of the other's own hardening manhood against his hip.

Tentative but awakened, the slighter of the two males began to reciprocate the gentle touches he was receiving by running his hands down Shunsui's back slowly and lightly digging his fingers into the material.

The brunette pulled back by a hairs breadth, his warm breath softly puffing against the other's face as his hands skimmed down his friend's chest and paused at his blue obi. He swallowed lightly before untied it and slid it away from his body, letting it drop onto the bed beside him. His tanned hands then crept under the folds of his white kosode to touch the pale flesh concealed beneath.

A gasp escaped the man beneath him as the warmth of his fingers made contact; his top layer was pushed away and his kosode dropped to the floor beside the bed and his hakama soon followed.

Shunsui looked down at the alabaster skin of his friend, he writhed underneath him at the simples of touches, the brush of fingers against his ribs and chest. He watched as the pale flesh flushed and pinked in reaction to the touching, a smile tugged at his lips as he watched Jushiro squirm.

As his own clothes joined those already on the floor, he leaned down and pressed his lips to his neck, pressing against him again and enjoying the heat that radiated from the body beneath his own.

Lip locking once again, Shunsui moved his hands down his body slowly, latching his fingers into the material of the other's underwear. He waited a moment before he yanked them down and threw them to the floor; his eyes slowly travelled southwards and he felt a groan escape him as they latched onto his friend's hardness.

He leaned into him again and wrapped a hand around him and pumped him to full hardness, kissing him with renewed heat and passion. They shared touches, nervous on Jushiro's side; experienced on Shunsui's.

The white haired male jolted when he felt the other's fingers brushing against his most intimate area, probing gently and easing their way inside of his prone body. Biting his lip, he buried his face in Shunsui's neck and whimpered softly at the new sensations seething through his body.

Knowing that this would be somewhat uncomfortable for a few moments, Shunsui tilted his soon to be lover's head back and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips and curled his fingers within him.

Although he had indeed bedded a couple of women, he had not ventured to bed another male save for his current situation. However he did know the basics of intercourse between two men, yes, he read some interesting books in his free time...

When he felt the man beneath him relaxing around his fingers, he rocked his hand more freely and pushed a little deeper, searching for the bundle of nerves he had read so much about.

His eyes widened when Jushiro let out a slurred cry, his hips jerking upwards and rubbing their crotches together; he assumed quickly that he had found what he had been looking for and hastened to massaged that particular spot each time he drove his finger deeper into him, adding a third finger after a few moments and ensuring that he pressed his nerves to dull the ache he was probably feeling by now.

On the other side of the metaphorical coin, Jushiro was almost writhing in the pleasure that was so pleasantly drowning him and tearing moans from him without a struggle. He panted, gasping out breaths as the other's fingers pummelled his insides and rubbed that spot within him.

Considering him ready, Shunsui mashed their lips back together, thrusting his tongue into his willing mouth as he repositioned himself between his legs and lifted them either side of his waist, coating his own member in a lubricant from his bedside table. He situated himself at the entrance to his lithe body and cupped the back of his head, holding their lips together and continuing the kiss as he began to breach his body.

His back arched as he felt himself being penetrated by something a lot larger than Shunsui's fingers and he let out a cry of discomfort into his mouth, the soothing stroke of fingers in his hair didn't distract him fully and as his friend finally ceased moving, apparently having sheathed his entire length within his suddenly no longer virgin body, he let out several whining keens of pain as his muscles attempted to relax around him and accommodate his size.

It was more difficult than he had expected, not to move while he felt his muscles twitching and quivering around him; Jushiro's body was much, much tighter around his member than he had thought he would be, and most certainly tighter than any woman he had been with. It was... Well, he was tempted to think of it as blissful but his alcohol muddled mind couldn't really comprehend too many complex words at the moment.

Instead, when the other's body finally relaxed around him, he began to move against him, rolling his hips up to meet his body.

They moved together, sharing moans and cries of carnal bliss as their hips jolted and magnetised towards each other in short sharp thrusts and bucks. The heat between them increased, hearts booming in their chests as they both sped towards their climaxes.

Lips meeting once again, dual passions awry as they connected with gentle touches and desperate groans of pleasure. Jushiro wrapped his legs around his waist, his back arching as he dug his heels into the other's back and cried out his name urgently as his muscles contracted abruptly and massaged the other's invading member; he felt himself release over his stomach between them and he dragged his nails down the other's back, leaving pale red welts in the delicately tanned skin.

Shunsui, taken aback by the suddenness of his climax, moaned out freely as his hardness was gripped by his muscles and he reached his own climax swiftly.

Collapsing down against his warm body, they allowed themselves to enjoy the afterglow of their activities.

Shunsui looked around blearily as he heard a soft snore and he scoffed drunkenly and pulled the covers up around them both, shuffling down and joining him in sleep minutes later.

~ The Last Words ~

The next morning, Jushiro woke slowly, his head was pounding but for some reason he felt very contented. Stretching out like a cat recently fed fish, he rolled over; pausing as he rested his hand on a warm mass.

His brown eyes slowly opened and he blinked in mild disbelief as he found himself looking at the slightly haired chest of his roommate. His eyes slowly drifted downwards and he gulped, correcting himself to note that he was looking at his very naked roommate, and on further investigation he discovered that he was naked as well.

The pounding of his head and the open bottle of sake on the bedside told him that they had both clearly been drinking heavily the night before; the slight stickiness between his legs and their obvious nudity told him that they had been intimate and the dark blush which slowly spread across his cheeks told him that he had enjoyed it.

Swallowed and licking his slightly dry lips, Jushiro laid back down, resting his head on his friend's chest as he considered the implications of what had occurred.

How would this change their relationship? How would this change his lifestyle? Was he gay?

He had never really thought about having sexual relations with anyone before and he had certainly never really considered himself to be homosexual. Such things were looked down upon by the leaders of society, he had never broken any rules before...

So many thoughts whizzed around in his pounding head that he grew dizzy and panicked. He closed his eyes as they welled up and he buried his face in the crook of Shunsui's neck and shoulder.

They would... Just have to discuss it when Shunsui woke up, and until then... The least he could do was try to sleep off this confounded hangover. He sighed inwardly, hoping they could find a way to muddle through this without hurting their friendship, he licked his lips and closed his eyes; drifting back off into a shallow but peaceful sleep.

~ The Last Words ~

Oh how that night would change the very foundations of our relationship, if I had not been such a selfish teenager I might have saved us both a lot of pain and suffering by putting an end to our antics before they had begun. But I did so adore to see him smile, and the smile he gave while being so pleasured made my heart swell with pride. But, when I woke beside him, I would sow the seeds of destruction and, although he has never confirmed it, break his heart; all in the sake of trying to be something I wasn't, something I would never be. Heck, why else would I wear a pink kimono all day long, ne?

A/N: Phew, so, here is the end of the first chapter, I am not yet sure how long this story will be, but please do review and let me know if you liked it :)