Conversation
Title: Conversation
Characters: Kyoraku, Ukitake (Characters by Tite Kubo)
Warnings: None
Notes: I just started writing and let the boys take it where they wanted. I'm not exactly sure what has resulted.
“She’s good by her own merits. She doesn’t need her name to get an in.”
“…and that’s what’s keeping her back.”
“Yes. He requested she not be seated.”
“But the reason you didn’t seat her was really…”
“She doesn’t believe she deserves it. That’s why I’m glad she’s here. I think Kaien is just what she needs. He won’t let her be hard on herself, or let her shut herself off.”
“Ah. Lieutenant Shiba. He seems very nice. His presence almost makes up for your lack thereof at meetings.”
“Almost.”
“Well, when you’re there, we almost always get a break, don’t we? Besides, he’s not quite as handsome.”
“Oh?”
“Your hair is the envy of many women.”
“As I’m sure you are.”
“What? I’m the perfect vision of manliness.”
“Except for the women’s clothing.”
“You know how it is. Start wearing something for one reason…”
“Which didn’t work. They still made you Captain.”
“Yeah. I should have known it wouldn’t work if they still wanted you, even though you may keel over at any moment.”
“Shunsui.”
“Mmm?”
“Remember the day we met?”
“We were sitting next to each other first class.”
“And then did so for every class after that. Why did we?”
“We knew that is was how it should be. You always know the people who will be the most important in your life. We just knew.”
“That’s true.” Ukitake smiled. “I remember you had everyone fooled.”
“Didn’t work.”
“That’s because the people who mattered were very perceptive.”
“Including you.”
“Ah, you didn’t try to fool me.”
“No point.”
“You still like people to think you’re irresponsible. Is it just a habit by now?”
“It was never anything like a habit. You know I hate it when people take me too seriously.”
“I think you hate it when people see how sensitive you really are.”
“That’s the sake talking.”
“You know I haven’t had any. You don’t like it when people know you care.”
“You know.”
“Shunsui.” He sighed. “Do you think it’s right to only let one person see the real you?”
“I’m happy.”
“Are you?”
“…Nanao knows me.”
“You want to believe that.”
Kyoraku was silent.
“You know…”
“What do I know?”
“…I’m only talking. Having a conversation. I’m actually trying to convince myself I’m not selfish. That I wouldn’t mind sharing you.”
“Ah. You’re a liar.”
“I’m not a liar!”
“You are. And you want me all to yourself…”
“You’re going to be the reason I leave.”
“You won’t. You can’t bear to leave me.”
“You,” he said, looking at Kyoraku, “are a pain.”
Kyoraku grinned. “I try. It’s part of my charm.”
“I’m sad to say that’s true.”
“I do have other charms.”
“Really?”
“Oh, don’t be that way. If I really irritated you, we wouldn’t have been friends all these years.”
“Friends. What a word.”
“It is a weak word. There really isn’t anything better, either. Language is silly, isn’t it?”
“You are, certainly.”
Kyoraku sat up, suddenly very close to Ukitake. They studied each other for a few long moments.
“Sadly, handsome, you’re stuck with me.”
Ukitake shook his head even as a small, reluctant smile spread across his face. “Don’t I know it.”
Kyoraku grinned and flopped back onto the grass. “Were you finished talking about Kuchiki?”
“I suppose so. I’m leaving her to Kaien, really. I can’t do too much at the moment. Someone mentioned to the division that I haven’t been feeling well…”
“Really? Someone must be keeping an eye on you. You’ve gotten better at hiding it. Sneaky.”
“I believe ‘sneaky’ is the word for you.”
A gasp. “I’m hurt.”
“You’re not.”
“I’m not. Someone’s got to watch out for you. Luckily, I have your entire division behind me. They’re quite loyal.”
Ukitake turned, regarded the other man thoughtfully. “That’s right. My division. I suppose you don’t have them fooled.”
“Ah, you don’t get me that easily. There are plenty of ways to make people think they’ve thought of something on their own.”
“Do you pull that trick on everyone?”
“Not on you. I can’t pull anything over on you.”
Ukitake smiled. “You’re just saying that.”
Kyoraku sat up again, his eyes looking right into Ukitake’s. “I’m not. That’s why you had me right from the start. You don’t let me hide. Don’t let me get away with anything.”
“Shunsui.”
The conversation was over.
Characters: Kyoraku, Ukitake (Characters by Tite Kubo)
Warnings: None
Notes: I just started writing and let the boys take it where they wanted. I'm not exactly sure what has resulted.
“She’s good by her own merits. She doesn’t need her name to get an in.”
“…and that’s what’s keeping her back.”
“Yes. He requested she not be seated.”
“But the reason you didn’t seat her was really…”
“She doesn’t believe she deserves it. That’s why I’m glad she’s here. I think Kaien is just what she needs. He won’t let her be hard on herself, or let her shut herself off.”
“Ah. Lieutenant Shiba. He seems very nice. His presence almost makes up for your lack thereof at meetings.”
“Almost.”
“Well, when you’re there, we almost always get a break, don’t we? Besides, he’s not quite as handsome.”
“Oh?”
“Your hair is the envy of many women.”
“As I’m sure you are.”
“What? I’m the perfect vision of manliness.”
“Except for the women’s clothing.”
“You know how it is. Start wearing something for one reason…”
“Which didn’t work. They still made you Captain.”
“Yeah. I should have known it wouldn’t work if they still wanted you, even though you may keel over at any moment.”
“Shunsui.”
“Mmm?”
“Remember the day we met?”
“We were sitting next to each other first class.”
“And then did so for every class after that. Why did we?”
“We knew that is was how it should be. You always know the people who will be the most important in your life. We just knew.”
“That’s true.” Ukitake smiled. “I remember you had everyone fooled.”
“Didn’t work.”
“That’s because the people who mattered were very perceptive.”
“Including you.”
“Ah, you didn’t try to fool me.”
“No point.”
“You still like people to think you’re irresponsible. Is it just a habit by now?”
“It was never anything like a habit. You know I hate it when people take me too seriously.”
“I think you hate it when people see how sensitive you really are.”
“That’s the sake talking.”
“You know I haven’t had any. You don’t like it when people know you care.”
“You know.”
“Shunsui.” He sighed. “Do you think it’s right to only let one person see the real you?”
“I’m happy.”
“Are you?”
“…Nanao knows me.”
“You want to believe that.”
Kyoraku was silent.
“You know…”
“What do I know?”
“…I’m only talking. Having a conversation. I’m actually trying to convince myself I’m not selfish. That I wouldn’t mind sharing you.”
“Ah. You’re a liar.”
“I’m not a liar!”
“You are. And you want me all to yourself…”
“You’re going to be the reason I leave.”
“You won’t. You can’t bear to leave me.”
“You,” he said, looking at Kyoraku, “are a pain.”
Kyoraku grinned. “I try. It’s part of my charm.”
“I’m sad to say that’s true.”
“I do have other charms.”
“Really?”
“Oh, don’t be that way. If I really irritated you, we wouldn’t have been friends all these years.”
“Friends. What a word.”
“It is a weak word. There really isn’t anything better, either. Language is silly, isn’t it?”
“You are, certainly.”
Kyoraku sat up, suddenly very close to Ukitake. They studied each other for a few long moments.
“Sadly, handsome, you’re stuck with me.”
Ukitake shook his head even as a small, reluctant smile spread across his face. “Don’t I know it.”
Kyoraku grinned and flopped back onto the grass. “Were you finished talking about Kuchiki?”
“I suppose so. I’m leaving her to Kaien, really. I can’t do too much at the moment. Someone mentioned to the division that I haven’t been feeling well…”
“Really? Someone must be keeping an eye on you. You’ve gotten better at hiding it. Sneaky.”
“I believe ‘sneaky’ is the word for you.”
A gasp. “I’m hurt.”
“You’re not.”
“I’m not. Someone’s got to watch out for you. Luckily, I have your entire division behind me. They’re quite loyal.”
Ukitake turned, regarded the other man thoughtfully. “That’s right. My division. I suppose you don’t have them fooled.”
“Ah, you don’t get me that easily. There are plenty of ways to make people think they’ve thought of something on their own.”
“Do you pull that trick on everyone?”
“Not on you. I can’t pull anything over on you.”
Ukitake smiled. “You’re just saying that.”
Kyoraku sat up again, his eyes looking right into Ukitake’s. “I’m not. That’s why you had me right from the start. You don’t let me hide. Don’t let me get away with anything.”
“Shunsui.”
The conversation was over.