Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ For The Love of a Friend ❯ Lost Love, Lost Friend ( Chapter 10 )

Tite Kubo owns Bleach and the characters depicted therein. The characters in this story are not mine

 

Lost Love, Lost Friend

 

He'd done something stupid after Shunsui departed. He knew it was stupid both before he did it, while he did it and after he did it, but despite his recognition that his action was one that would have been dismissed as idiotic by a drunken moron on flu medication, he did not pause. It was only luck that he was still alive and not adding to the vacancies in the Captain's ranks and he blamed Shunsui because it was his influence that made him drink. Alcohol was the enemy. After Shunsui had left that evening, Toshiro had gone for a walk to clear his mind. The alcohol had made him feel relaxed, too relaxed and he had walked toward the place he had met with Soi. All the time he was walking, enjoying the night air, he knew he should return to his quarters to sleep.

 

“I need to recover my equilibrium and then I can sleep. It doesn't matter where I walk; I just want to walk. I can see if there's any activity that seems suspect,” was the justification he used. Then he stopped, blinking hard. The excuse seemed to be suddenly apt as he thought he saw movement up ahead, a familiar walk, but the figure was wearing a hat and the ends of a scarf dangled over the shoulders as it moved swiftly out of his sight. It seemed to be moving toward 12th Division, but while he tried to think who the person might be, his memory stubbornly would not conjure the name or face.

 

Toshiro went to investigate, mindful of the Arrancar attack earlier in the day and curious if the sake in his bloodstream was causing his mind to see phantoms. When he reached the end of the street, there was no one there. Leaping onto the rooftops, he again surveyed the area to see if he could see any suspicious movement, but there was nothing to be seen. Standing there he kept scrutinising the area to make certain that he was not being fooled by a clever use of kido. A breeze blew and the moon slid behind a cloud, momentarily darkening the streets, but no other movement could be seen.

 

Giving up, he continued on, feeling increasingly foolish. “I'm jumping at shadows and imagining things that aren't there because I know what I'm about to do is dumb. I'm going to a place because I just want to see if Soi's there. She won't be, I'm acting like a fool, but I need to talk to her once more and try to at least establish something less antagonistic between us. If I try to see her in her Division she will find some excuse and she won't see me, no matter what excuse I use.”

 

His hand on the doorknob, he hesitated, and then pushed the door open. Soi was sitting on a chair at the table, her back to the door, the hunched posture proclaiming her despondency. Her Captain's coat was slung over the bed.

 

The alcohol was singing in his body and he did something he'd often contemplated during that short time they were together. Moving up quietly behind her, he slipped his hand through the slits at the side of her uniform, one moving to cover a breast while the other moving further south.

 

Soi's reaction was instantaneous. She wrenched away from his hands and drew her zanpaku-to, turning and levelling the blade at his neck. His quick movement deflected the blade but her defensive reaction did not settle once she recognised him and she immediately stated, “Suzume-Bachi.”

 

A butterfly mark blossomed under the cut of the blade on Toshiro's right side. Drawing his zanpaku-to grudgingly he fended off her next attack. “You should have stuck it in my throat,” he accused wishing he had not followed his inclinations. He didn't want to fight the woman, unless the fighting led to something else.

 

They fought furiously for some minutes, Soi trying to stab him while Toshiro twisted and turned out of the way, not trying to hurt her, but trying to defend himself against her clever fighting and unexpected attacks.

 

“Can we stop?” he panted, wondering what was driving her to attack him so ferociously. He was worried that the alcohol would affect his reactions and make him vulnerable to her rapid strikes.

 

“I want to hurt you. You deserve death Toshiro for what you've done,” her wrathful accusation startled him.

 

“You started it. I only asked for you to guard Momo. I didn't expect any of this to happen,” he argued while driving back her blade. He felt quite annoyed. Why was it his fault? He'd never expected sex to be part of the deal.

 

Slipping past his guard, the hornet sting lodged high in his thigh. Any higher and more to the centre and it might have caused a different problem and an embarrassing wound. “What the hell were you aiming for?” he shouted at her. “I'll go. This isn't worth dying over.”

 

“Yes it is,” her voice was short of a scream and she lunged at him again. “Goddamn you Toshiro! I hate you. I hate you and everything about you.”

 

She hated him? He had never thought she liked him, but now she hated him? “I hate you too. I can't stand being in the same room as you,” he lied. He again dodged another blow.

 

Soi dropped her guard, panting from the fight. “You hate me? Then why did you come here?” Her eyes observed him closely, expecting another attack, but he didn't press his advantage.

 

“Why did you come here?” Toshiro asked her, trying to catch his breath while wondering at her reason. He knew she didn't need him and had been the one to reject him first. He rubbed at the marks left by her blade, ignoring the sting of the pain and the blood seeping from the wounds.

 

They glared at each other, both unwilling to answer the question.

 

“Why did you come here?” Soi demanded again.

 

He hoped that if he answered it would break the impasse. Standing here, glaring at Soi, wasn't getting him anywhere. “I don't know. I was walking and ended up here. I didn't know you'd be here but I want to talk to you,” he countered with a mixture of truth and lies.

 

“Talk? A pleasant discussion about what? How much we hate each other? Why you constantly interfere with my life? How quickly you can die?” Her face twisted into a grimace as she glowered at him and then sheathed her zanpaku-to.

 

“You're not going to kill me?” The levity of the question was a mistake, but he was trying to try to lighten the mood.

 

As she sat on the bed, Soi shook her head. “Not yet. I don't feel like explaining to the Captain General why I had to kill a Captain. I don't think he'll believe you're co-operating with the traitors.”

 

Toshiro, knowing he was doing something foolish went and sat on the bed near Soi. “I don't want to be enemies.”

 

She laughed mirthlessly. “It's too late for that.” The strength of her denial made it hard to oppose her words.

 

“What should I do? This is not working out the way I wanted,” he spoke the words aloud not realising he was uttering his thoughts.

 

“The way you wanted? Is it all about you? It's not working out the way I wanted either. There, we've talked. You can go now.”

 

Trying to think of something to say, he stared at the wall and then looked at Soi. Each time he managed to look at something other than the woman he found his eyes straying back to her. He hoped she wouldn't notice his erection. “I don't hate you.” As he said the words he recognised that he should not drink, ever. If the alcohol hadn't dropped his inhibitions he would never have said that.

 

“I don't care how you frigging feel about me, or anything else. What will it take to get you to leave? If I fuck you, will you go?” Her tone was disinterested but her eyes glittered.

 

“Yes,” he agreed immediately, not allowing his mind to advise him that this was a really bad idea and then he didn't have a chance to think about anything. Soi pounced on him, stripping him quickly, while he tried to remove her clothes, fumbling in his haste. Before they were fully naked Soi pushed him on his back, touching the places where her zanpaku-to had sliced him, removing her mark and sealing them shut with a quick shot of kido.

 

“I don't want you bleeding all over me when we fuck,” she said as she was preparing to mount him when he grabbed her by her hips, holding her still.

 

“For once, just once, since this will be the last time I guess,” and receiving the nod of agreement, “can I decide what happens? I don't want it to be fast and over. Let's take our time, there's nowhere else neither of us need to be.”

 

“I don't even want you to be here and you want to take your time?” Soi sighed loudly in disgust and lay down. “Do what you want. Just make sure I come and then you can go. I don't want to talk to you afterward and if you visit here again, make sure I'm not here.” She shut her eyes and lay impassive.

 

Toshiro lay down beside her and embraced her gently, kissing her on her closed mouth. She tolerated him for a few minutes and then pushed him away. “I want sex, not a kiss. Could you speed this up?”

 

“God, Soi, you can be a bitch. You're spoiling the mood. Do you want to make this as unpleasant as possible?” Toshiro asked, annoyed at her reaction. If she hadn't wanted sex, why did she make the offer? If he wasn't so hard, he'd leave.

 

“Mood? What damned mood are you talking about? If I let you fuck me then you'll leave. The sooner we fuck, the sooner I come and the sooner you go. I think it's pretty easy to understand, even for a person who is going to marry an id…. Momo,” Soi did not bother opening her eyes or looking at him as she answered.

 

Feeling a flare of anger at her near insult to Momo, he pushed her legs apart and kneeling between them plunged into her, angry, horny and determined to make her come, screaming in pleasure.

 

He could see why she tried to mount him and had offered sex as an inducement to make him leave. She was so very slick and hot and that made him plunge into her furiously, angry at both of them for being unable to deny their desire, even when they actively disliked each other.

 

“Yes, like that. Why didn't you do that in the first place? The way you were talking made me think you were going soft,” she said arching her hips up to meet him.

 

“I'm not,” he said closing his eyes trying to relish every moment of having sex with Soi. She felt good, welcoming almost, though she only wanted the sex, she had never wanted him. “I don't like you at all except for fucking you.”

 

“Shut up and screw me, Toshiro. You can kiss me, if you must,” Soi said in her dismissive voice and spoilt her cool response with a groan.

 

Opening his eyes he found he was again gazing into her eyes, clouded by passion and another emotion he guessed was anger. He kept his eyes fixed on hers as he slowed, unhurriedly withdrew and then gradually pushed back into her, many times. Feeling her muscles clench around him as he moved, he became attuned to her response. She was eagerly meeting his thrusts and did not complain that he had lessened his speed but her eyes seemed to be asking for something more.

 

Stopping, he bent his mouth to hers, kissing her, thinking only of the kiss and how he'd hungered for her mouth even when she was insulting him and his friends; even during the meeting when she had acted like a harpy, he'd wished he could kiss her. The kiss of farewell that they had never shared.

 

Briefly he felt Soi tense under him and expected that she would again push him away, refuse the kiss, but her lips softened and parted as her mouth returned the attention. Toshiro forgot to breathe as Soi's tongue sought his and the kiss gradually extended into something that was affecting him strangely. He wanted the kiss to continue, but forgetting to breathe made it impossible and he was forced to remove his mouth. As he panted a little again he found he was staring into Soi's eyes and feeling something tug at the base of his neck. This time she placed her hands on the back of his head and kissed him with an urgency he had not expected from her. Fortunately he allowed his lungs to continue to intake and exhale air as their tongues slid against each other, caressing, teasing, playing little catch games. It was Soi's turn to break the kiss.

 

“Are you going to keep screwing me or not, Toshiro?” The harshness of the words after the bewildering gentleness and fervour of the kiss made him tense, involuntarily thrusting into her as his spine stiffened.

 

Bemused he tried to kiss her again but she turned her head to one side, refusing to meet his eyes. “No. No more kissing. I want this over and your thing out of my body….after you make me come, of course.”

 

The words inflamed and infuriated Toshiro. For a brief time he had thought they were sharing something more than their bodies, but her words exposed his error. Resentment boiled within him as she again dismissed him as something only to be used to bring gratification. The sex became cruel as he continued to piston into her, seeking only his pleasure, but his disregard affected Soi unexpectedly, making her claw at him with desire as she writhed under his strokes while responding with something resembling passion. Her heaving body moved against him, as she found her release, stifling her screams against her hand.

 

Closing his eyes in order not to witness her content or contempt, he concentrated on how close he was. He was about to lose himself in his orgasm when Soi spoke.

 

“I've come. You can go now,” her ill timed words interrupting his thoughts.

 

It was too late to stop and he climaxed as he thrust once more into her body, but most of his enjoyment was lost. How could she have done that? Why did she do that? Retreating from her, he rose quickly and dressed. There was no point in postponing his departure to try to attempt to heal the rift between them. Her words, her actions had made it clear that there could be no reconciliation, or even friendship, between them. Even if he apologised she would reject the apology and he did not see that he had done anything wrong, except to handle her unexpectedly and ask her advice on marrying Momo. She had attacked him, insulted his friends, himself and dismissed him as if he were little more than a prostitute.

 

Leaving he shut the door firmly. He would not return; no inducement would be strong enough for him to overlook her actions, words and behaviour. Pausing for a moment he thought he heard someone sobbing, but immediately dismissed the idea that it might be Soi. There was nothing that could penetrate the shell with which she had encased herself. He listened intently, but the sound had faded and he could not discern from which direction it had come.

 

The memory of that experience was like a metal splinter in his mind. Sharp, painful and very difficult to remove. When he had returned to his room he'd slept, exhausted and unhappy with his life.

 

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The days that followed were even worse. The interlude with Soi was only one of the disasters that seemed to fall into his hands.

 

At first the day afterward had been pleasant. The office was quiet without the addition of his lieutenant and he decided that there was no reason to work as hard as he normally did. What did it matter if the paperwork was completed? Nothing seemed important except when he experienced the sudden flashes of memory of the previous evening with Soi.

 

Every time the memory replayed he found his shoulders tensing and his blood pressure increasing. Damn the woman, she was a malicious, evil creature who had no understanding of compassion or love.

 

Had he really thought that word? No, it was a mistake. It had been a mistake then, it was a mistake now. Love was not a word that should feature in his thoughts.

 

Then, the party had happened. Apparently Ikkaku and Yumichika were correct and Zaraki and Matsumoto had not ended their marriage. Unexpectedly 11th Division decided to celebrate the marriage of their captain and each of the Divisions were supposed to provide food. Why did he have to provide food? He wasn't a cook. Grumbling he called his seated adjuncts and discussed the matter with them. This led to more irritation. As a result of the conversation, Toshiro found himself in a kitchen attempting to steam rice and make sushi. He didn't even like the stuff, had never tried to prepare it and now he was making it for a wedding he didn't wish to acknowledge. His adjuncts worked on creating rice balls and other snacks he knew Matsumoto enjoyed and he was stuck with the sushi.

 

None of the components were cooperating. “Frigging stupid rice. Get into the seaweed. You're supposed to be sushi, not rice on top of seaweed. Why is the fish falling out? Who eats sushi anyway?” Toshio's voice was increasing in volume as he continued to struggle with the sushi ingredients. His hair was flopping into his eyes and all the aggression he was feeling the previous night was feeding into his frustration.

 

“Captain, I don't like to interrupt while you're insulting the sushi, but do you need my help?” His 5th seat asked politely, very politely while staying a fair distance from Toshiro.

 

Toshiro looked up, his face felt hot and he was sure he was perspiring. “Yes, I damn well need help. This stuff is not cooperating, which reminds me of a few people I know.”

 

His adjunct quailed under his glare and stepped back even further. “If you'd like to take a few minutes, I might be able to sort this out,” he quavered uncertainly. “I think you should remove the rice from your hair and face, um, Sir.”

 

Throwing the disobedient sushi onto the bench, Toshiro stalked irritably to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. “How the hell did rice get in my hair?” He remembered running his hands through his hair in a fit of irritation when the roll had collapsed for the 3rd time.

 

Washing his hands and face removed most of the rice, but removing the sticky grains from his hair took more time. When he finished he returned to the kitchen to find all his seated officers working on the sushi. He noted with relief that all his failed attempts had been thrown out. They were using the bamboo mats to roll the sushi.

 

“So that's what they were for. I couldn't work it out and thought they were used in the presentation,” he thought. “Maybe that's why it wouldn't work for me.”

 

“Thanks, but I thought I was supposed to make that,” Toshiro protested, not very strongly.

 

“You did most of the work, Captain Hitsugaya. We just helped out at the end,” another adjunct explained smoothly.

 

“Gee, Captain, your reiatsu was really spiking there,” his 7th seat remarked.

 

“Shut up, you idiot. You don't mention things like that to the Captain when he's gone icy and angry. Don't you know anything?” was another ill thought comment from a senior adjunct, who then gulped and attempted to blend into the background.

 

“Shut the hell up, both of you. I apologise that these people made such unfortunate comments, Sir. Do you wish for them to be disciplined?” his 3rd seat enquired.

 

“Yeah, make them eat the sushi I prepared.” Toshiro was feeling nasty and didn't appreciate the personal comments.

 

“But it's been in the garba…. Yes, Sir, immediately Sir,” the one who mentioned his reiatsu said.

 

He watched as the two highly distressed men ate the disgusting mess he had created, made even more unappetising by its contact with the rubbish. His 3rd seat had removed it from where it was sitting at the top of the other refuse and put it on a plate. From their expressions it was evident that the two men were reluctant to touch the food, but their fear of him was greater than their revulsion.

 

The look on their faces brought him a grim satisfaction and he waited until they had consumed at least 3 mouthfuls. “Now go and force yourself to vomit, to rid your bodies of that. Have you never been told not to eat out of the garbage?” he said smugly as he saw their eyes darken. They ran to the bathroom and it was some time before they emerged, red, shaking and pouring with sweat, their eyes leaking water. They may have learnt their lesson, in this instance.

 

Looking at the time he noticed there were a few hours before the party was due to commence. “I will allow you some free time before the festivities tonight. You will arrive at the appointed hour. At all times keep in mind that you are representing 10th Division and therefore I expect you to show some restraint.”

 

“What about a wedding present?” his 3rd seat asked.

 

“We will organise that once the lieutenant has returned to work. I think it would be sensible to enquire what the newly wed couple require rather than give them a set of gold plated chopsticks that will never be used,” he said with determination. “I heard someone mention it as suitable, but I cannot foresee Captain Zaraki welcoming such a gift.”

 

His adjuncts bowed and left and Toshiro strolled back to his quarters where he sought rest. Sleep was better than being awake and the night ahead would be long. The party would be an occasion when he was forced to be civil to Soi and he was aware that he did not wish to be civil to her. The rush of anger and lust he felt when he thought of her was an unpleasant mix and he hoped that sleep would even his mood. Seeing her would put in that unpleasant quandary of wishing to fight or fuck her and he desired to do neither. His emotions were too raw.

 

His sleep was fitful and unpleasant dreams intruded too often to provide rest. For some reason he dreamt of the former captain of the 3rd Division. When he woke he rationalised the dream, deciding it was because Matsumoto was finally free from her adoration of the man and the dream was a reaction to the sense of relief he felt.

 

Then he checked his thought. Relief? He was relieved that Matsumoto was married, not resentful? Even though she had married a man he had never considered as her partner, it was obvious that Zaraki loved her, passionately, just like he loved…….

 

Swearing, he choked off that thought. He was overtired from recent events. That was the explanation. “I want to talk to Matsumoto. If there's a chance tonight I will, but she'll be taken up with her husband.” Hopefully if he sat next to his lieutenant, Soi would sit far away from them both.

 

Before he left to attend the party, a messenger arrived to report that a shinigami from 11th Division had disappeared and could not be found. A few other strange events had occurred and one of the gate guards had been found unconscious the previous evening. No one had seen, heard or noticed anything.

 

For a brief interlude he remembered the short glimpse he had of the familiar figure the previous evening. It had only been a brief sighting and he had an uneasy feeling about who the person might be, but no matter how hard he tried to match the memory with a person, the connection would not be made.

 

Arriving outside the bathhouse, he saw the place was packed. Quickly he made his way to Shunsui who was talking to Captain Ukitake, trying not to observe where Soi might be. They were discussing the food they had prepared and who was providing the drink.

 

“I heard that all the drinks were provided by an anonymous benefactor to wish the couple well. Anonymous gifts are unusual, but in this case very welcome. We won't have to watch what we drink tonight and there's plenty of food,” Captain Ukitake was explaining.

 

“Had any interesting thoughts, Toshiro,” Shunsui was smiling at him languidly, as his lieutenant lurked in the background.

 

Instantly he knew what he meant. “No. I was too busy making sushi.”

 

“I got the wedding cake. I thought it would be nice for Ran. The rest of the Division made desert. Hey, darling sweet Nanao, could you get me a cold drink? Please?” He cooed at his lieutenant.

 

She smiled grudgingly at him. “You should get it yourself,” she said, not moving.

 

“Oh, Nanao, your cruel words cut me. Toshiro, will you help me carry drinks?” Shunsui asked plaintively. “What drink do you want sweet, sweet Nanao?”

 

“Some water.”

 

Following the man in the flowered coat Toshiro wondered. He had been very attentive to a woman he protested he hated. If it was an act, it was very convincing. “Are you sure you don't like Nanao?” he asked quietly.

 

Shunsui grinned at him. “I told you last night. As I said then, I try to keep her sweet. She's still trying to find out where I went last night. Tonight she'll keep her beady eyes on me, just you watch, and then she'll try to stop me drinking. Hey, there's Yamamoto. Look, Nanao's noticed him. She does like power, she can hardly take her eyes off him, but he's ignoring her. Oh, no he's not, he's seen something that interests him. The happy couple are emerging from the bathhouse where they've spent the afternoon. Zaraki's holding her hand tightly. Does he think she's going to run away?”

 

They watched the Captain-General greet the newlyweds, heard his brief speech and then sat down. As he had planned he sat next to his lieutenant who seemed happy. She even scolded her husband once or twice in a sweet way and Zaraki didn't seem to notice when she corrected him. He just gazed at her and smiled, often touching her or whispering something in her ear that made her look at him fixedly, a flush colouring her cheeks. Toshiro wished they would control their behaviour, it was very distracting, and he found their obvious ardour was causing him to look for Soi. To make his mind work on something different, he tried the repellent green stew.

 

“That's nasty,” he told his lieutenant as he spat it onto the ground. It was vile and he suspected that Kurotsuchi had made it. He noticed that the man was eating the stuff with every sign of enjoyment.

 

The taste of the stew remained in his mouth and Toshiro was drinking anything non-alcoholic that was offered to remove its taste. When the flavour was finally overcome, he became aware how he was feeling increasingly weary despite his afternoon nap. It felt strange, not like he was tired, but fuzzy in the head. Looking up he noticed muzzily that the person serving drinks seemed familiar, but he couldn't place him.

 

He was talking to, or trying to talk to, Shunsui who was sitting beside him. It was hard to concentrate on what he was talking about, let alone what his friend was saying in response, when he noticed Matsumoto clambering to her feet. Staggering slightly she lurched over to the table where the drinks had been placed. Shrugging he returned to the increasingly disjointed discussion regarding the recent Arrancar attack, when he heard a commotion. Looking in the direction Matsumoto had taken, he saw Yachiru being stabbed by the man who had been serving drinks.

 

“Oh, bugger. That's Ichimaru and he has Ran,” Shunsui exclaimed and tripped over while attempting to get to his feet.

 

Toshiro leant on the table, trying to get his legs to obey while he watched the incredulous look on Zaraki's face as the negacion came down and lifted Ichimaru and Matsumoto out of the Seireitei. At least there could be no doubt in anyone's mind that the abduction was agreeable to Matsumoto. She was struggling against her former lover while he held a blade at her throat his other arm holding her tightly against him. The look of despair, love, and terror she cast at Zaraki, before she vanished, was not lost on Toshiro.

 

Kurotsuchi seemed to be slower in reacting than all the others, only turning to see the abduction at the last moment, but Toshiro imagined that could be due to whatever was affecting all of them. “It is paramount I remain conscious so I can take action,” he thought as his head slumped to the table and oblivion overwhelmed him.

 

Upon waking with a violent headache, he heard violent swearing and the familiar feel of Zaraki's reiatsu peaking as he expressed his fury.

 

“I'm fucking going after her old man. Don't try to stop me unless you want me to rip your head off and stuff it up your sodding arse,” was the first coherent sentence he could make out. “It's only luck and Retsu's quick action that saved Yachiru's from dying and you want me to wait? I'm not leaving my wife in those traitorous bastards' hands. They'll hurt her and I promised I'd take care of her and told her there was no fucking thing to worry about. She was here, among the might of the Gotei 13, and she was still bloody snatched while we all sat here like frigging statues. I've got to get her back, don't you understand?”

 

“You will wait until the expedition is assembled properly. I agree that you will be a member, but you have to remain until the passageway is stabilised. I want you to agree to return the traitors, alive, to face their rightful punishment. Threatening me will not make me agree, Captain. Be realistic. She is only one Shinigami and you can retrieve her in a few days,” Yamamoto replied, anger tinging his words, though he sounded as if he was trying to keep his voice calm.

 

“She might be dead in a few days. I can't risk it and I won't. I love her,” Zaraki's face was centimetres from his superior officer as he yelled at him.

 

Toshiro felt moved. He'd never expected to hear that admission from Zaraki and he didn't even seem embarrassed or worried who heard. He almost offered to help him because he experienced a deep worry about how his lieutenant would be treated in Hueco Mundo. Zaraki was right to worry.

 

“That's not important. Feelings do not matter. I'll show you where the bridge is being built so you can monitor the progress, if you wish. It would be suicidal to use it before it is complete and there will be other consequences if you make the attempt,” was the frigid retort.

 

Toshiro watched them leave and saw Zaraki follow the old man up a street continuing to argue furiously. “Why is he showing him where it is if he doesn't want him to use it?” he thought.

 

“Why is he showing Captain Zaraki where it is if he doesn't want him to use it?” a voice said to his right.

 

Turning he saw Soi was near him, her eyes following the two men and she seemed unaware of whom she had addressed.

 

“I don't know, but I'm positive that Zaraki will use it before it's ready. I think I better go with him and try to make sure he returns alive. I'll try to persuade him not to cut the traitors into tiny little pieces,” Retsu replied.

 

Toshiro realised that Soi was not talking to him, but to the Captain of the 4th Division.

 

“Should I come too?” he offered, worried about his lieutenant.

 

“No. I think you should work with Captain Fong on keeping Yamamoto distracted. Create diversions when he asks about us,” Retsu suggested, smiling at them while frowning with worry at the same time.

 

That statement made Toshiro's heart sink. Working on anything with Soi was problematic. After his last disastrous encounter with her and his unexpected and unacknowledged feelings regarding the 2nd Division Captain, he didn't want to spend any time with her.

 

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A.N.

 

This story takes place around the same time and in the same AU as Different Circumstances. Events in that story impact on the events that take place in this one and vice versa. To understand it all you have to read both.

 

Bugger. I'd hoped that by now I would have caught up with Different Circumstances, but that doesn't seem to be happening.

 

Thanks to:

sheastarr334. No, this story is still lagging behind Different Circumstances.

 

ahimals, sorry I disappointed you, but I wanted a different slant on Nanao and Shunsui

 

Bastion: definitely eek. I really appreciate the support.

 

Okay, review. I like reviews.