Fic: Static (4/?). Hisagi/Kira.
Title: Static (4/?)
Author: winteraconite
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Hisagi Shuuhei/Kira Izuru, mentions of Iba/Nanao
Notes/Warnings: Yaoi. Violence.
General Summary: Betrayal is a blade that cuts deep, and you have to wonder who you can really trust.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its sexy characters. I just borrow them and make them do my nasty bidding. They like it. A lot. >:)
Chapter One: Hisagi helps a wounded Kira and proximity takes its toll.
Chapter Two: Things fall apart as Hisagi tries to fix what isn't broken.
Chapter Three: Pride doesn't pay.
A/N: I'm going to be a dork and admit that I'm still :DDDDD over the fact that it didn't take me six months to cough up this chapter (just two hurr hurr). I'm sorry if there are some parts here that are a little blergh. I seem to have fallen victim to a writer's block from hell, and it's messing with my rhythm, but believe me when I say I am valiantly trying to get past it.
I've decided to add short recaps of the last chapter for your convenience because at the rate I'm going people are bound to forget what's going on in this fic. XD
If anyone is still reading this you're going to want to throw something at me when this chapter is over. :)
~
In the previous chapter:
Is it heavy? All that pride?
Kira shook his head. What do you want from me, Hisagi Shuuhei? He mentally asked his friend as the image of the brunet turning his back to him and walking away for a second time replayed in his head.
When I get back, he decided, tightening his grip on the file. We’ll talk about this when I get back.
~
Static: Chapter Four
Peering over the edge of an overhang, Kira Izuru crouched low behind a boulder, shading his eyes against the glare of the sunset as he looked out on the valley below. Directly under his line of vision, three huge hollows milled about aimlessly. Every now and then he could feel their looming reiatsu reach out in search of prey but at this distance, and with him keeping his own reiatsuat its minimum level, he knew they wouldn’t find him. And so he monitored them, undetected, from afar. He had been doing this for hours.
A hand suddenly clamped down on his shoulder, making him start. He calmed back down when Matsumoto Rangiku hunkered down beside him, her ice blue eyes surveying the scene.
“Just three of them now,” she observed and Kira hummed.
“They ate the other two.”
“Good,” Rangiku said though she wrinkled her nose in distaste. “That means they haven’t found anything else to eat. Anything to report?” she asked and the younger shinigami shook his head. Rangiku nodded and turned to look over her shoulder, motioning for several shinigami to come forward. Kira’s shift was over.
“Keep your eyes open,” he told the newcomers. “They’ve been inactive so far but that could change. If they notice you, fall back immediately. Do not engage the targets unless absolutely necessary-they’re the only lead we have right now,” he said and waited for each shinigami to acknowledge the order before nodding and heading back to base camp.
They had encountered a few hollows mere minutes after entering the transient world, the beasts attracted to the sudden influx of potent reiatsu. They had been dealt with swiftly and efficiently, and base camp and perimeter were set up within the hour. Now they had squadrons patrolling the area in every direction, stalking whatever hollows they came across as they tried to find...to find...
Well, they didn’t know what they were looking for exactly but they exerted every effort to find it. Kira’s brows drew together in a frown as he walked. The objective of the mission still confused him. They were on the lookout for an incursion of a massive number of hollows that disappeared as soon as they came. Apparently the attacks had suddenly become an almost regular occurrence in the area, resulting in a number of casualties that could no longer be ignored. After the last squad that had been assigned to the area failed to return the assignment had been labelled a high risk mission, and that’s where Kira and Rangiku came in. They were supposed to “find out where they came from and how the hell they disappear so fast” as Akon so aptly put it.
But there was nothing here-or at least nothing out of the ordinary-from what both he and Rangiku could tell. Kira’s frown deepened as he thought about how strange it was. With the number of hollows Akon estimated, they should have felt their presence by now or at least seen signs of their existence. Yet hours had passed and they still hadn’t found anything. He wondered what they were missing.
“Damn it, Kira! You’re not listening to me!”
The 3rd Division Lieutenant faltered in his step and almost tripped. It was Rangiku. He had been too preoccupied to notice she had followed him. The older blond looked a little miffed and it occurred to him that she must have been talking to him and he hadn’t heard a single word. “Erm...sorry?” he said sheepishly and she rolled her eyes.
“I wonder about you sometimes,” she huffed before hooking an arm around his and dragging him away from the direction of base camp. “Come with me,” was all she said and he knew better than to pull away. They walked in silence-aimlessly, but making sure to stay within the safety of the perimeter-and with each step the apprehension Kira felt over the mission and its objective slowly faded into the background as anxiety for an entirely different reason took its place. Rangiku did not disappoint.
She stopped and let go of Kira, turning to face him and regard him sternly. “You have to patch things up with him, Kira.”
The younger shinigami cringed. He didn’t need to ask whom she was referring to.
“This is ridiculous,” she continued when he didn’t say anything. “Do you two have any idea what you’re doing to yourselves? To each other?”
Kira blushed and his jaw tightened. “It was his idea,” he said in his defence though sinking that low made him feel a little nauseous. To his chagrin the thought did actually make him feel better; telling himself and whoever bothered to ask that it was Hisagi’s idea felt like justification and it did well to alleviate the shame and pain. Sometimes.
Rangiku sighed as she watched the 3rd Division Lieutenant. She never got the chance to talk to Hisagi before leaving for the transient world with Kira and she regretted it. Talking to the younger blond was so much harder; he was stubborn and reclusive, so used to dealing with his own problems-never really solving them, just keeping them to himself and carrying the burden alone. With Hisagi she could beat some sense into him and call it a day. With Kira...it was different somehow. She always felt like she had to watch her step.
“You two have fought before but it’s never been this bad,” she finally said. “I’m worried about you. Both of you.”
Kira faked a smile. “Don’t be, Matsumoto-san. We’re fine. It’s just...” He struggled to find the right word. “An arrangement,” he decided. That was what he had called it when he and Hisagi had talked last, right before he had all but kicked the brunet out of his office. “An arrangement that we’ve agreed will be best for the both of us.”
“Bullshit,” Rangiku said as soon as the words were out of Kira’s mouth. Her eyes blazed and the younger shinigami belatedly remembered that this was the woman who knew him better than most people did. Then the lines on her face softened and she looked at him with concern. “What happened?” she asked softly.
The younger blond ducked his head. “I can’t tell you,” he answered. I’d die of shame.
Rangiku shook her head and reached out to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Shuuhei may be a jackass sometimes but he cares about you. You know he does.”
This time Kira scoffed. “I know exactly how he feels about me, Matsumoto-san,” he muttered derisively and Rangiku raised a brow. To his surprise, she was smirking.
“Do you, now?” She asked. “I don’t think anyone knows how Shuuhei feels about you. Not even Shuuhei himself.” The hand she had on his shoulder gave it a tender squeeze. “He’s your friend, Kira-if nothing else.”
The younger shinigami blushed in spite of himself and turned away from her knowing look. “I’ll talk to him, Matsumoto-san-I promise. I already planned to. I just...” don’t know what to say or where to start, he thought as he trailed off. He briefly recalled how his last conversation with the 9th Division Lieutenant ended and sighed. “I just can’t right now.” He gestured to their surroundings. “Obviously.” He gently shrugged himself free of Rangiku’s hold and turned back to the direction of camp. “It’s getting late,” he said without looking at her, staring out into the growing darkness instead. “We should head back.”
A part of him was afraid she would push the subject and make him talk. With enough prodding, Kira knew he would cave and tell her everything. But Rangiku only made a disappointed noise and pouted at him. “All right,” she said, nodding. “We’ll head back. But Kira?”
The younger blond turned to look at her and was surprised to see a finger held stiff not three inches from his face.
“You are talking to Shuuhei the minute we get back,” Rangiku said sternly and Kira couldn’t help but burst into laughter, the rich sound of it echoing throughout the now dark forest.
“You just don’t give up, do you?” He asked, still laughing.
“No, I don’t.” Rangiku grinned then her features softened and she stepped forward to kiss him on his cheek. “And neither should you,” she said finally as she pulled away. Her blue eyes twinkled and Kira smiled.
“Thank you, Matsumoto-san,” he said and really meant it. He suddenly felt like a huge weight had been removed from his chest without really knowing why. He hadn’t lied when he’d said he was going to talk to Hisagi, but the decision seemed easier to bear knowing he had Rangiku’s support. “Where would I be without you?” He said, smiling, and she grinned at him.
“Dead in a ditch at the very least,” she answered instantly and they both laughed.
Then moment was shattered by the sudden hiss of static from his comm link followed by a familiar voice.
It was Akon.
~
Hisagi woke up with a start, jerking upright and scattering sweat from the sudden motion. Idiot, he admonished himself. Falling asleep in the office. What are you? Unseated? He took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his neck with the back of his hand.
Edgy. He was edgy-jumpy, jittery, uneasy. Why?
Because he was worried about Kira.
He buried his face in his hands and groaned. He’s gonna kill you if he finds out, a little voice in the back of his mind told him and it was right. Kira hated it when people worried about him, as if he couldn’t do his job properly on his own. Hisagi knew perfectly well that Kira could, but you just couldn’t help but worry about a friend. He and Kira may not be on very good terms right now but Hisagi would always worry about him, not matter what. Besides, it was his fault they weren’t on very good terms in the first place. Half the stress came from his conscience.
The past few nights, beginning right after he had talked to Kira last, had been spent tossing and turning in bed. Thoughts of the blond were driving him to distraction, fuelled by fears that something would go wrong-nightmares of the mission going awry, his friends getting hurt, the look on Kira’s face the last time they had talked. He hadn’t had a good night’s rest in a while and it was taking its toll. Rubbing wearily at his temples, he fervently hoped he could get some sleep tonight, though he highly doubted it.
A sudden knock on the door made him jerk upright and he hurried to answer it, barking out “what?!” as pulled the door open. Iba blinked.
“They don’t got hello’s where you come from, kid?” The 7th Division lieutenant asked gruffly and Hisagi flushed.
“Sorry, Iba-san,” he apologized hastily. “Been a rough day at the office. You know how it is.”
The burly lieutenant snorted. “Damn right I do. That’s why I’m here.” He jerked his head sharply to one side. “Let’s grab a bite to eat and hit the taverns. Sound good?”
Hisagi wrinkled his nose. Food wasn’t high on his list of priorities at the moment but he supposed he could use the down-time. He could think of few things worse than sitting restless in the office. “Rangiku-san put you up to this?”
“She mighta said something to Nanao.”
Hisagi grinned. “You are so whipped.”
“Ah, don’t give me that shit. ‘sides, you look like you could use some fresh air.”
“Yeah, I could,” Hisagi said tiredly, scrubbing his hands over his face to wipe the last dregs of sleep from his eyes.
Iba frowned. “You all right?”
“I’m fine. Just tired.”
“You’re worried about ‘em, aren’t ya?”
The younger brunet chuckled. “Is it that obvious?”
Iba shrugged. “They’ll be fine. They’re lieutenants, the both of them. They’ve got each other’s backs.”
“Yeah, I know. Just can’t help but worry.”
The burlier brunet stayed quiet for a few moments before suddenly grinning. “He’s gonna kill you if he finds out.” He was all too familiar with how Kira and Hisagi were with each other.
That made Hisagi laugh outright. “Good,” he said before he could stop himself. “At least he’ll talk to me then-” He cut himself short when he realized what he was saying and glanced sharply at Iba for his reaction. The 7th Division Lieutenant was staring at him oddly and Hisagi immediately knew he had heard. Thankfully, Iba didn’t call him on it and Hisagi inwardly sighed in relief even as he berated himself. Fuck, I must be exhausted if I can’t even watch what I’m saying anymore, he thought. Then he shook his head to clear it and grinned at his friend.
“Let’s get you fed and drunk,” he said, pushing himself past the threshold. Iba grinned and led the way.
~
Your scouts...they’ve disappeared. Akon’s words echoed in Kira’s head as he ran. Rangiku was little more than a blur a few meters ahead of him, flash-stepping as fast as she could. They’re her men, he remembered as he tried to keep up with her. How could they have just disappeared from the grid? Are they injured? Are they dead?
His heart hammered against his chest as adrenaline started to course through his system.
About five klicks East-southeast of your current location, Akon had said. That wasn’t too far and they were getting there fast. He could barely see the 10th Division Lieutenant in front of him anymore. “Matsumoto-san, you’re going too fast,” he said into his comm link but there was no response. He cursed and picked up his pace, trusting the rest of their squadron to keep up. They were well past the perimeter and going off alone, or even together but too far apart, was a very bad idea. He tried to reach her again.
“Matsumoto-fukutaichou,” he said. “Slow down!” Squinting into the darkness, he struggled to keep her in his sight and had to clench his jaw tight to keep from calling out and giving away their position when she seemed to pause for a fraction of a second before leaping into the darkness and out of his sight. He unconsciously sped up, throwing caution to the wind, and skidded to a halt at the edge of a large clearing.
“Matsumoto-san!” He called out, unsheathing Wabisuke. He took a step forward and nearly lost his footing as the ground under his feet crumbled and his foot sank a few centimetres into the earth. He regained his balance and froze. Something was wrong, he sensed immediately as the little hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
“Fukutaichou!” One of his men called out to him as they arrived and he shushed him urgently, staring out into the gloom, eyes and ears on the alert for any sign of movement.
Rangiku suddenly appeared by his side, Haineko at the ready.
“I can’t find them,” she told him and he nodded. He wasn’t surprised.
“Stay here,” he ordered. Tightening his grip on Wabisuke, Kira stepped farther into the clearing, feet crunching on the crusty ground, his every nerve on edge. A feeble gust of wind swept through the forest, swirling dust in the air in its wake. The forest was empty, that much Kira could tell. So why, he wondered, did he feel like he was being watched?
He was in the middle of the clearing now and he risked a glance back at the rest of the squadron. Rangiku was watching him intently.
Then he realized he wasn’t alone.
“Kira!”
He felt its presence only a split second before he saw it. Something blurred on the other edge of the clearing, leaping forward and barrelling toward him, but it never got close. Something else slammed into Kira from one side, hurling him to the ground, and he twisted in time to see Rangiku plunge her zanpakutou deep into the roof of the hollow’s mouth.
Scrambling to get up he rushed to her aid, helping her pull Haineko free from the dead creature. Sweat rolled down Rangiku’s face and her eyes were wide. “Where the hell did this come from?!” she asked. “Why didn’t we sense it?!”
Kira didn’t care as he suddenly became very aware that the two of them were out in the open. He grabbed Rangiku by her wrist and made to pull her back to the rest of the squadron when all of a sudden what sounded like a clap of thunder erupted around the men standing by. He had a moment to watch their terrified faces before the ground split open under them, spewing dust into the air and swallowing their men.
“NO!” Rangiku screamed and Kira tightened his grip on her. “To the trees!” He bellowed. He saw several dark blurs speed out of the cloud of dust and up to the branches above. Both lieutenants shared a wide-eyed look before following their men.
“Sir, some of the men are still down there!” Harada, Kira’s third seat, cried as soon as he landed on a tree branch. From below them he could hear men screaming, the terrible sound of it mixed with the frenzied snarls of Hollows. Kira’s mind worked furiously even as his heart pounded in his chest, threatening to burst.
The hollows came from underground, layers and layers of soil muting their reiatsu and hiding them. That’s why the sensors couldn’t catch them. That’s why they could come and go as they pleased. And because they killed everyone they came across...no one could tell the Soul Society where they came from.
We have to let them know! His mind screamed. “Get higher up!” Kira shouted. “Get higher up and regroup!” He looked to Rangiku and she nodded, yelling at her men to follow orders.
“But the others-”
“There’s nothing we can do for them,” Kira cut his third seat off. The cries of the men from below them had stopped and the ground started to rumble ominously. The hollows’ reiatsu surged around them. Kira’s comm link beeped.
“Kira-fukutaichou, we’ve picked up-”
“I know!” The blond cut Akon off. “They’re coming from underground!”
Akon said something more but Kira didn’t hear him as he grabbed Harada by the front of his uniform, pulling him along in their ascent. All of a sudden the ground beneath them shook and they were forced to a stop. Rangiku cried out, lurching where she stood, as the tree she was on tilted sharply.
It fell-the entire tree fell-taking the remaining 10th Division members and their Lieutenant down with it. Kira watched in horror as the forest floor came apart with a deep groan and all hell broke loose.
The hollows crawled out by the dozens. Taking advantage of the element of surprise and their vast numbers, they picked the hapless warriors off one by one, dragging them screaming through large cracks in the ground. The loose soil opened into gaping holes under those who tried to escape, swallowing them whole.
“Help them!” Kira yelled and his men rushed to comply. Harada moved to do the same but Kira stopped him. “Fall back,” he ordered. “Find open ground then unlock the senkai! Get everyone through!” Despite the circumstances the man hesitated and the blond angrily pushed him along. “Go!” He shouted. “That’s an order!”
He didn’t wait to see if his third seat complied, trusting the man’s discipline instead, before he dropped down into the killing field below. A hollow was waiting for him with its mouth wide open but he easily sliced it through its gaping maw, severing the upper half of its head.
“Matsumoto-san!” he called out and she answered with a feral scream as she thrust Haineko into the chest of a hollow that had just disembowelled one of her men. He hurried to her side. She was breathing heavily and she turned to the younger blond, wide-eyed and panicked.
“We have to get out of here!” he yelled over the chaos and reached out to pull her along. “We have to-”
The rest of his sentence was cut off when the ground gave way beneath him. He heard Rangiku cry out sharply and felt himself being jerked forward. He fell on his face on the forest floor, the impact disorienting him for a few seconds. When he regained his senses, he heard a strangled cry and saw the 10th Division Vice-Captain clinging to the edge of a pit.
“Matsumoto-san!” He threw himself to the ground on his stomach, taking hold of her arms. From deep within the pit he heard a hollow howl. Kira tightened his hold on his friend and tried to pull her up.
The howling grew louder and all of a sudden Rangiku stiffened and screamed. The hands she had on Kira’s arms tightened in pain and the 3rd Division Lieutenant lost his battle against panic and fear. Dragging himself forward, he pushed an arm into the darkness around his friend and cried: “Shakkahou!”
The blast spell shot forth from his open palm, colouring a hollow’s mask red before slamming into the creature and sending it back into the depths of the abyss. Kira closed his eyes against the blinding light and when he opened them again he was looking into Rangiku’s frightened blue eyes. She tightened her grip on him and he held on with all his might.
“Kami-sama...” Rangiku whispered, her voice caught high in her throat from terror and pain as they both felt the edges of the pit start to crumble beneath them. Unable to move, Kira held his breath.
With a grinding roar the ground split open where they lay. Kira felt himself fall and drew the 10th Division Lieutenant to him on instinct. Rangiku cried out and they both fell into the chasm, plunging deep into impenetrable darkness.
~
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
Hisagi sighed and shook his head. “I fucking wish.”
The night air was cool on Hisagi’s skin as he and Iba left the tavern. It was late and at this point he was tired and pleasantly buzzed despite not having had that much to drink. Iba was quiet and content next to him, already looking forward to getting home, and Hisagi followed his example, knowing that he was finally going to get some sleep tonight. He couldn’t wait.
“So that’s why I haven’t seen him around lately. You at least know why he ain’t talkin’ to ya?” Iba asked. He said it casually and without even looking at Hisagi, but the 9th Division Lieutenant recognized the seriousness underlying his casual tone. Iba was only pretending he hadn’t known about this beforehand, and he obviously wanted an explanation. Hisagi wasn’t quite sure he had one-at least not one he was willing to give the older shinigami-so he shrugged.
“You know how it is,” he said. “One day things are great and we’re getting along fine, and then the next...” I act like a total bastard and ruin things for the both of us, Hisagi finished in his head. He actually winced. “But it’s nothing,” he lied. “He’ll come around.” I hope.
He felt his good mood suddenly start to diminish and he shoved his hands into his pocket. “There’s just no getting through to him sometimes, you know,” he said after a few moments of silence. “You expect him to understand because he’s Kira and, shit, he’s smarter than the rest of us, but in the end...”
He doesn’t understand shit, the angrier, more bitter part of Hisagi’s mind told him and he clenched his hands into fists as irritation sparked in the back of his mind. He quickly shook the idea out of his head. It’s my fault, he reminded himself. I couldn’t make him understand.
“I don’t know why I even bother,” he admitted to the older shinigami, turning to Iba who had remained silent the whole time.
The burly man shrugged. “I ain’t gonna pretend I understood any of what ya just said,” he said bluntly, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He took a long drag before blowing smoke out into the air. “But if yer as broken up about it as ya are now-”
Hisagi was about to protest but Iba stopped him with a pointed glare.
“-then maybe ya should just apologize to Kira.”
“Hey! I never said this was my fault!”
“O’course it’s yer fault,” Iba scoffed. “Ya said it yourself: Kira’s smarter than the rest of us, and fuck if ya aren’t a couple o’ watts short of bright.” He grinned at Hisagi who actually found himself grinning back. “You kids never learn,” the older shinigami said finally and Hisagi chuckled softly.
“No,” he said. “No, I guess we don’t.”
“Lack o’ experience. That’s yer problem,” Iba continued. “You’ve got a long way to go, kid.”
This time Hisagi snorted. “You practically ask for it with Nanao, you know. Not all of us have your masochistic tendencies.”
Iba only grinned. “Some people are worth the trouble.”
Hisagi sighed. “Yeah, some people,” he muttered petulantly.
Iba abruptly stopped in his stride and turned to him. “Kira’s a good kid. You know that.” The graveness of his tone stunned Hisagi into momentary silence.
Of course I know that, Hisagi wanted to say. No one knows him better than I do.
When he recovered Iba was walking again, and he had to hurry and catch up. “You’re a fucking bastard, you know that?” he said once he reached the older shinigami, punching him lightly on the shoulder. “You should at least warn a guy before you throw that kind of shit at him.” He rolled his eyes. “How Nanao can stand you, I’ll never know.”
Iba stopped suddenly and his face darkened. Hisagi blinked. “Oi, Iba-san, I was just-”
“Quiet,” the burlier Lieutenant said and Hisagi’s mouth snapped shut, afraid he had offended his friend. He was just about to apologize again when he saw that Iba was staring down the street and not at him. Following his friend’s gaze he saw a figure standing twenty feet in front of them, leaning heavily against the wall.
“Who’s there?” Iba called out to the newcomer.
The figure lifted his head and Hisagi froze. Harada! Even in the darkness he recognized Kira’s third-seat and he was instantly at the man’s side. The third seated officer was injured; he had a hand clamped tightly over a bleeding wound on stomach and his voice was hoarse with pain when he whispered “Hisagi-fukutaichou...”
“Shit, it looks bad,” Iba said, eying the trail of blood behind the injured officer. He helped Hisagi lower the man down to the ground, propping him up with his back against the wall. “We’ve got to get him to the fourth or he could bleed to death.”
Hisagi nodded and started to check on the man’s wound. His eyes widened in surprise when Harada’s arm suddenly shot out and grabbed the front of his shihakusho.
“Fukutaichou...Kira-fukutaichou...” The man gasped out and Iba frowned.
“This is bad,” he said gruffly. “He’s hallucinating.”
“No,” Hisagi said gravely. “No, he’s not.”
The tone of his voice made Iba turn to look at him. The younger shinigami’s face was white as a sheet, and then it hit him. This man had gone to the transient world with Kira and Matsumoto. And this man had come back half-dead. Before Iba could stop him, Hisagi twisted his arm free of the injured man’s grip and grabbed him by his shoulders. “What happened?” He asked urgently.
Harada lifted his head and looked plaintively at Hisagi. Blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth. “You don’t...you don’t know...”
Iba watched the younger brunet take a deep breath and close his eyes. When he opened them again the intensity in them was frightening. “Tell me,” the 9th Division Lieutenant ordered, tightening his grip on the man.
Harada nodded and reached out to take the lieutenant’s arm. Hisagi’s hands started to shake.
“Kira-fukutaichou...” the man said, and Iba held his breath as he suddenly felt himself grow cold.
“We lost Kira-fukutaichou.”
TBC.
A/N: Dun dun duuuuuuu~uuuuun!!!!!!!!!!! Now, before you say anything...I love Izuru--I do! I swear I do!--but a writer has to do what a writer has to do. Even if she dies a little on the inside when she thinks about what she's doing to her boys (she totally loves it omfg).
...comment? :D
Author: winteraconite
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Hisagi Shuuhei/Kira Izuru, mentions of Iba/Nanao
Notes/Warnings: Yaoi. Violence.
General Summary: Betrayal is a blade that cuts deep, and you have to wonder who you can really trust.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its sexy characters. I just borrow them and make them do my nasty bidding. They like it. A lot. >:)
Chapter One: Hisagi helps a wounded Kira and proximity takes its toll.
Chapter Two: Things fall apart as Hisagi tries to fix what isn't broken.
Chapter Three: Pride doesn't pay.
A/N: I'm going to be a dork and admit that I'm still :DDDDD over the fact that it didn't take me six months to cough up this chapter (just two hurr hurr). I'm sorry if there are some parts here that are a little blergh. I seem to have fallen victim to a writer's block from hell, and it's messing with my rhythm, but believe me when I say I am valiantly trying to get past it.
I've decided to add short recaps of the last chapter for your convenience because at the rate I'm going people are bound to forget what's going on in this fic. XD
If anyone is still reading this you're going to want to throw something at me when this chapter is over. :)
~
In the previous chapter:
Is it heavy? All that pride?
Kira shook his head. What do you want from me, Hisagi Shuuhei? He mentally asked his friend as the image of the brunet turning his back to him and walking away for a second time replayed in his head.
When I get back, he decided, tightening his grip on the file. We’ll talk about this when I get back.
~
Static: Chapter Four
Peering over the edge of an overhang, Kira Izuru crouched low behind a boulder, shading his eyes against the glare of the sunset as he looked out on the valley below. Directly under his line of vision, three huge hollows milled about aimlessly. Every now and then he could feel their looming reiatsu reach out in search of prey but at this distance, and with him keeping his own reiatsuat its minimum level, he knew they wouldn’t find him. And so he monitored them, undetected, from afar. He had been doing this for hours.
A hand suddenly clamped down on his shoulder, making him start. He calmed back down when Matsumoto Rangiku hunkered down beside him, her ice blue eyes surveying the scene.
“Just three of them now,” she observed and Kira hummed.
“They ate the other two.”
“Good,” Rangiku said though she wrinkled her nose in distaste. “That means they haven’t found anything else to eat. Anything to report?” she asked and the younger shinigami shook his head. Rangiku nodded and turned to look over her shoulder, motioning for several shinigami to come forward. Kira’s shift was over.
“Keep your eyes open,” he told the newcomers. “They’ve been inactive so far but that could change. If they notice you, fall back immediately. Do not engage the targets unless absolutely necessary-they’re the only lead we have right now,” he said and waited for each shinigami to acknowledge the order before nodding and heading back to base camp.
They had encountered a few hollows mere minutes after entering the transient world, the beasts attracted to the sudden influx of potent reiatsu. They had been dealt with swiftly and efficiently, and base camp and perimeter were set up within the hour. Now they had squadrons patrolling the area in every direction, stalking whatever hollows they came across as they tried to find...to find...
Well, they didn’t know what they were looking for exactly but they exerted every effort to find it. Kira’s brows drew together in a frown as he walked. The objective of the mission still confused him. They were on the lookout for an incursion of a massive number of hollows that disappeared as soon as they came. Apparently the attacks had suddenly become an almost regular occurrence in the area, resulting in a number of casualties that could no longer be ignored. After the last squad that had been assigned to the area failed to return the assignment had been labelled a high risk mission, and that’s where Kira and Rangiku came in. They were supposed to “find out where they came from and how the hell they disappear so fast” as Akon so aptly put it.
But there was nothing here-or at least nothing out of the ordinary-from what both he and Rangiku could tell. Kira’s frown deepened as he thought about how strange it was. With the number of hollows Akon estimated, they should have felt their presence by now or at least seen signs of their existence. Yet hours had passed and they still hadn’t found anything. He wondered what they were missing.
“Damn it, Kira! You’re not listening to me!”
The 3rd Division Lieutenant faltered in his step and almost tripped. It was Rangiku. He had been too preoccupied to notice she had followed him. The older blond looked a little miffed and it occurred to him that she must have been talking to him and he hadn’t heard a single word. “Erm...sorry?” he said sheepishly and she rolled her eyes.
“I wonder about you sometimes,” she huffed before hooking an arm around his and dragging him away from the direction of base camp. “Come with me,” was all she said and he knew better than to pull away. They walked in silence-aimlessly, but making sure to stay within the safety of the perimeter-and with each step the apprehension Kira felt over the mission and its objective slowly faded into the background as anxiety for an entirely different reason took its place. Rangiku did not disappoint.
She stopped and let go of Kira, turning to face him and regard him sternly. “You have to patch things up with him, Kira.”
The younger shinigami cringed. He didn’t need to ask whom she was referring to.
“This is ridiculous,” she continued when he didn’t say anything. “Do you two have any idea what you’re doing to yourselves? To each other?”
Kira blushed and his jaw tightened. “It was his idea,” he said in his defence though sinking that low made him feel a little nauseous. To his chagrin the thought did actually make him feel better; telling himself and whoever bothered to ask that it was Hisagi’s idea felt like justification and it did well to alleviate the shame and pain. Sometimes.
Rangiku sighed as she watched the 3rd Division Lieutenant. She never got the chance to talk to Hisagi before leaving for the transient world with Kira and she regretted it. Talking to the younger blond was so much harder; he was stubborn and reclusive, so used to dealing with his own problems-never really solving them, just keeping them to himself and carrying the burden alone. With Hisagi she could beat some sense into him and call it a day. With Kira...it was different somehow. She always felt like she had to watch her step.
“You two have fought before but it’s never been this bad,” she finally said. “I’m worried about you. Both of you.”
Kira faked a smile. “Don’t be, Matsumoto-san. We’re fine. It’s just...” He struggled to find the right word. “An arrangement,” he decided. That was what he had called it when he and Hisagi had talked last, right before he had all but kicked the brunet out of his office. “An arrangement that we’ve agreed will be best for the both of us.”
“Bullshit,” Rangiku said as soon as the words were out of Kira’s mouth. Her eyes blazed and the younger shinigami belatedly remembered that this was the woman who knew him better than most people did. Then the lines on her face softened and she looked at him with concern. “What happened?” she asked softly.
The younger blond ducked his head. “I can’t tell you,” he answered. I’d die of shame.
Rangiku shook her head and reached out to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Shuuhei may be a jackass sometimes but he cares about you. You know he does.”
This time Kira scoffed. “I know exactly how he feels about me, Matsumoto-san,” he muttered derisively and Rangiku raised a brow. To his surprise, she was smirking.
“Do you, now?” She asked. “I don’t think anyone knows how Shuuhei feels about you. Not even Shuuhei himself.” The hand she had on his shoulder gave it a tender squeeze. “He’s your friend, Kira-if nothing else.”
The younger shinigami blushed in spite of himself and turned away from her knowing look. “I’ll talk to him, Matsumoto-san-I promise. I already planned to. I just...” don’t know what to say or where to start, he thought as he trailed off. He briefly recalled how his last conversation with the 9th Division Lieutenant ended and sighed. “I just can’t right now.” He gestured to their surroundings. “Obviously.” He gently shrugged himself free of Rangiku’s hold and turned back to the direction of camp. “It’s getting late,” he said without looking at her, staring out into the growing darkness instead. “We should head back.”
A part of him was afraid she would push the subject and make him talk. With enough prodding, Kira knew he would cave and tell her everything. But Rangiku only made a disappointed noise and pouted at him. “All right,” she said, nodding. “We’ll head back. But Kira?”
The younger blond turned to look at her and was surprised to see a finger held stiff not three inches from his face.
“You are talking to Shuuhei the minute we get back,” Rangiku said sternly and Kira couldn’t help but burst into laughter, the rich sound of it echoing throughout the now dark forest.
“You just don’t give up, do you?” He asked, still laughing.
“No, I don’t.” Rangiku grinned then her features softened and she stepped forward to kiss him on his cheek. “And neither should you,” she said finally as she pulled away. Her blue eyes twinkled and Kira smiled.
“Thank you, Matsumoto-san,” he said and really meant it. He suddenly felt like a huge weight had been removed from his chest without really knowing why. He hadn’t lied when he’d said he was going to talk to Hisagi, but the decision seemed easier to bear knowing he had Rangiku’s support. “Where would I be without you?” He said, smiling, and she grinned at him.
“Dead in a ditch at the very least,” she answered instantly and they both laughed.
Then moment was shattered by the sudden hiss of static from his comm link followed by a familiar voice.
It was Akon.
~
Hisagi woke up with a start, jerking upright and scattering sweat from the sudden motion. Idiot, he admonished himself. Falling asleep in the office. What are you? Unseated? He took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his neck with the back of his hand.
Edgy. He was edgy-jumpy, jittery, uneasy. Why?
Because he was worried about Kira.
He buried his face in his hands and groaned. He’s gonna kill you if he finds out, a little voice in the back of his mind told him and it was right. Kira hated it when people worried about him, as if he couldn’t do his job properly on his own. Hisagi knew perfectly well that Kira could, but you just couldn’t help but worry about a friend. He and Kira may not be on very good terms right now but Hisagi would always worry about him, not matter what. Besides, it was his fault they weren’t on very good terms in the first place. Half the stress came from his conscience.
The past few nights, beginning right after he had talked to Kira last, had been spent tossing and turning in bed. Thoughts of the blond were driving him to distraction, fuelled by fears that something would go wrong-nightmares of the mission going awry, his friends getting hurt, the look on Kira’s face the last time they had talked. He hadn’t had a good night’s rest in a while and it was taking its toll. Rubbing wearily at his temples, he fervently hoped he could get some sleep tonight, though he highly doubted it.
A sudden knock on the door made him jerk upright and he hurried to answer it, barking out “what?!” as pulled the door open. Iba blinked.
“They don’t got hello’s where you come from, kid?” The 7th Division lieutenant asked gruffly and Hisagi flushed.
“Sorry, Iba-san,” he apologized hastily. “Been a rough day at the office. You know how it is.”
The burly lieutenant snorted. “Damn right I do. That’s why I’m here.” He jerked his head sharply to one side. “Let’s grab a bite to eat and hit the taverns. Sound good?”
Hisagi wrinkled his nose. Food wasn’t high on his list of priorities at the moment but he supposed he could use the down-time. He could think of few things worse than sitting restless in the office. “Rangiku-san put you up to this?”
“She mighta said something to Nanao.”
Hisagi grinned. “You are so whipped.”
“Ah, don’t give me that shit. ‘sides, you look like you could use some fresh air.”
“Yeah, I could,” Hisagi said tiredly, scrubbing his hands over his face to wipe the last dregs of sleep from his eyes.
Iba frowned. “You all right?”
“I’m fine. Just tired.”
“You’re worried about ‘em, aren’t ya?”
The younger brunet chuckled. “Is it that obvious?”
Iba shrugged. “They’ll be fine. They’re lieutenants, the both of them. They’ve got each other’s backs.”
“Yeah, I know. Just can’t help but worry.”
The burlier brunet stayed quiet for a few moments before suddenly grinning. “He’s gonna kill you if he finds out.” He was all too familiar with how Kira and Hisagi were with each other.
That made Hisagi laugh outright. “Good,” he said before he could stop himself. “At least he’ll talk to me then-” He cut himself short when he realized what he was saying and glanced sharply at Iba for his reaction. The 7th Division Lieutenant was staring at him oddly and Hisagi immediately knew he had heard. Thankfully, Iba didn’t call him on it and Hisagi inwardly sighed in relief even as he berated himself. Fuck, I must be exhausted if I can’t even watch what I’m saying anymore, he thought. Then he shook his head to clear it and grinned at his friend.
“Let’s get you fed and drunk,” he said, pushing himself past the threshold. Iba grinned and led the way.
~
Your scouts...they’ve disappeared. Akon’s words echoed in Kira’s head as he ran. Rangiku was little more than a blur a few meters ahead of him, flash-stepping as fast as she could. They’re her men, he remembered as he tried to keep up with her. How could they have just disappeared from the grid? Are they injured? Are they dead?
His heart hammered against his chest as adrenaline started to course through his system.
About five klicks East-southeast of your current location, Akon had said. That wasn’t too far and they were getting there fast. He could barely see the 10th Division Lieutenant in front of him anymore. “Matsumoto-san, you’re going too fast,” he said into his comm link but there was no response. He cursed and picked up his pace, trusting the rest of their squadron to keep up. They were well past the perimeter and going off alone, or even together but too far apart, was a very bad idea. He tried to reach her again.
“Matsumoto-fukutaichou,” he said. “Slow down!” Squinting into the darkness, he struggled to keep her in his sight and had to clench his jaw tight to keep from calling out and giving away their position when she seemed to pause for a fraction of a second before leaping into the darkness and out of his sight. He unconsciously sped up, throwing caution to the wind, and skidded to a halt at the edge of a large clearing.
“Matsumoto-san!” He called out, unsheathing Wabisuke. He took a step forward and nearly lost his footing as the ground under his feet crumbled and his foot sank a few centimetres into the earth. He regained his balance and froze. Something was wrong, he sensed immediately as the little hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
“Fukutaichou!” One of his men called out to him as they arrived and he shushed him urgently, staring out into the gloom, eyes and ears on the alert for any sign of movement.
Rangiku suddenly appeared by his side, Haineko at the ready.
“I can’t find them,” she told him and he nodded. He wasn’t surprised.
“Stay here,” he ordered. Tightening his grip on Wabisuke, Kira stepped farther into the clearing, feet crunching on the crusty ground, his every nerve on edge. A feeble gust of wind swept through the forest, swirling dust in the air in its wake. The forest was empty, that much Kira could tell. So why, he wondered, did he feel like he was being watched?
He was in the middle of the clearing now and he risked a glance back at the rest of the squadron. Rangiku was watching him intently.
Then he realized he wasn’t alone.
“Kira!”
He felt its presence only a split second before he saw it. Something blurred on the other edge of the clearing, leaping forward and barrelling toward him, but it never got close. Something else slammed into Kira from one side, hurling him to the ground, and he twisted in time to see Rangiku plunge her zanpakutou deep into the roof of the hollow’s mouth.
Scrambling to get up he rushed to her aid, helping her pull Haineko free from the dead creature. Sweat rolled down Rangiku’s face and her eyes were wide. “Where the hell did this come from?!” she asked. “Why didn’t we sense it?!”
Kira didn’t care as he suddenly became very aware that the two of them were out in the open. He grabbed Rangiku by her wrist and made to pull her back to the rest of the squadron when all of a sudden what sounded like a clap of thunder erupted around the men standing by. He had a moment to watch their terrified faces before the ground split open under them, spewing dust into the air and swallowing their men.
“NO!” Rangiku screamed and Kira tightened his grip on her. “To the trees!” He bellowed. He saw several dark blurs speed out of the cloud of dust and up to the branches above. Both lieutenants shared a wide-eyed look before following their men.
“Sir, some of the men are still down there!” Harada, Kira’s third seat, cried as soon as he landed on a tree branch. From below them he could hear men screaming, the terrible sound of it mixed with the frenzied snarls of Hollows. Kira’s mind worked furiously even as his heart pounded in his chest, threatening to burst.
The hollows came from underground, layers and layers of soil muting their reiatsu and hiding them. That’s why the sensors couldn’t catch them. That’s why they could come and go as they pleased. And because they killed everyone they came across...no one could tell the Soul Society where they came from.
We have to let them know! His mind screamed. “Get higher up!” Kira shouted. “Get higher up and regroup!” He looked to Rangiku and she nodded, yelling at her men to follow orders.
“But the others-”
“There’s nothing we can do for them,” Kira cut his third seat off. The cries of the men from below them had stopped and the ground started to rumble ominously. The hollows’ reiatsu surged around them. Kira’s comm link beeped.
“Kira-fukutaichou, we’ve picked up-”
“I know!” The blond cut Akon off. “They’re coming from underground!”
Akon said something more but Kira didn’t hear him as he grabbed Harada by the front of his uniform, pulling him along in their ascent. All of a sudden the ground beneath them shook and they were forced to a stop. Rangiku cried out, lurching where she stood, as the tree she was on tilted sharply.
It fell-the entire tree fell-taking the remaining 10th Division members and their Lieutenant down with it. Kira watched in horror as the forest floor came apart with a deep groan and all hell broke loose.
The hollows crawled out by the dozens. Taking advantage of the element of surprise and their vast numbers, they picked the hapless warriors off one by one, dragging them screaming through large cracks in the ground. The loose soil opened into gaping holes under those who tried to escape, swallowing them whole.
“Help them!” Kira yelled and his men rushed to comply. Harada moved to do the same but Kira stopped him. “Fall back,” he ordered. “Find open ground then unlock the senkai! Get everyone through!” Despite the circumstances the man hesitated and the blond angrily pushed him along. “Go!” He shouted. “That’s an order!”
He didn’t wait to see if his third seat complied, trusting the man’s discipline instead, before he dropped down into the killing field below. A hollow was waiting for him with its mouth wide open but he easily sliced it through its gaping maw, severing the upper half of its head.
“Matsumoto-san!” he called out and she answered with a feral scream as she thrust Haineko into the chest of a hollow that had just disembowelled one of her men. He hurried to her side. She was breathing heavily and she turned to the younger blond, wide-eyed and panicked.
“We have to get out of here!” he yelled over the chaos and reached out to pull her along. “We have to-”
The rest of his sentence was cut off when the ground gave way beneath him. He heard Rangiku cry out sharply and felt himself being jerked forward. He fell on his face on the forest floor, the impact disorienting him for a few seconds. When he regained his senses, he heard a strangled cry and saw the 10th Division Vice-Captain clinging to the edge of a pit.
“Matsumoto-san!” He threw himself to the ground on his stomach, taking hold of her arms. From deep within the pit he heard a hollow howl. Kira tightened his hold on his friend and tried to pull her up.
The howling grew louder and all of a sudden Rangiku stiffened and screamed. The hands she had on Kira’s arms tightened in pain and the 3rd Division Lieutenant lost his battle against panic and fear. Dragging himself forward, he pushed an arm into the darkness around his friend and cried: “Shakkahou!”
The blast spell shot forth from his open palm, colouring a hollow’s mask red before slamming into the creature and sending it back into the depths of the abyss. Kira closed his eyes against the blinding light and when he opened them again he was looking into Rangiku’s frightened blue eyes. She tightened her grip on him and he held on with all his might.
“Kami-sama...” Rangiku whispered, her voice caught high in her throat from terror and pain as they both felt the edges of the pit start to crumble beneath them. Unable to move, Kira held his breath.
With a grinding roar the ground split open where they lay. Kira felt himself fall and drew the 10th Division Lieutenant to him on instinct. Rangiku cried out and they both fell into the chasm, plunging deep into impenetrable darkness.
~
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
Hisagi sighed and shook his head. “I fucking wish.”
The night air was cool on Hisagi’s skin as he and Iba left the tavern. It was late and at this point he was tired and pleasantly buzzed despite not having had that much to drink. Iba was quiet and content next to him, already looking forward to getting home, and Hisagi followed his example, knowing that he was finally going to get some sleep tonight. He couldn’t wait.
“So that’s why I haven’t seen him around lately. You at least know why he ain’t talkin’ to ya?” Iba asked. He said it casually and without even looking at Hisagi, but the 9th Division Lieutenant recognized the seriousness underlying his casual tone. Iba was only pretending he hadn’t known about this beforehand, and he obviously wanted an explanation. Hisagi wasn’t quite sure he had one-at least not one he was willing to give the older shinigami-so he shrugged.
“You know how it is,” he said. “One day things are great and we’re getting along fine, and then the next...” I act like a total bastard and ruin things for the both of us, Hisagi finished in his head. He actually winced. “But it’s nothing,” he lied. “He’ll come around.” I hope.
He felt his good mood suddenly start to diminish and he shoved his hands into his pocket. “There’s just no getting through to him sometimes, you know,” he said after a few moments of silence. “You expect him to understand because he’s Kira and, shit, he’s smarter than the rest of us, but in the end...”
He doesn’t understand shit, the angrier, more bitter part of Hisagi’s mind told him and he clenched his hands into fists as irritation sparked in the back of his mind. He quickly shook the idea out of his head. It’s my fault, he reminded himself. I couldn’t make him understand.
“I don’t know why I even bother,” he admitted to the older shinigami, turning to Iba who had remained silent the whole time.
The burly man shrugged. “I ain’t gonna pretend I understood any of what ya just said,” he said bluntly, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He took a long drag before blowing smoke out into the air. “But if yer as broken up about it as ya are now-”
Hisagi was about to protest but Iba stopped him with a pointed glare.
“-then maybe ya should just apologize to Kira.”
“Hey! I never said this was my fault!”
“O’course it’s yer fault,” Iba scoffed. “Ya said it yourself: Kira’s smarter than the rest of us, and fuck if ya aren’t a couple o’ watts short of bright.” He grinned at Hisagi who actually found himself grinning back. “You kids never learn,” the older shinigami said finally and Hisagi chuckled softly.
“No,” he said. “No, I guess we don’t.”
“Lack o’ experience. That’s yer problem,” Iba continued. “You’ve got a long way to go, kid.”
This time Hisagi snorted. “You practically ask for it with Nanao, you know. Not all of us have your masochistic tendencies.”
Iba only grinned. “Some people are worth the trouble.”
Hisagi sighed. “Yeah, some people,” he muttered petulantly.
Iba abruptly stopped in his stride and turned to him. “Kira’s a good kid. You know that.” The graveness of his tone stunned Hisagi into momentary silence.
Of course I know that, Hisagi wanted to say. No one knows him better than I do.
When he recovered Iba was walking again, and he had to hurry and catch up. “You’re a fucking bastard, you know that?” he said once he reached the older shinigami, punching him lightly on the shoulder. “You should at least warn a guy before you throw that kind of shit at him.” He rolled his eyes. “How Nanao can stand you, I’ll never know.”
Iba stopped suddenly and his face darkened. Hisagi blinked. “Oi, Iba-san, I was just-”
“Quiet,” the burlier Lieutenant said and Hisagi’s mouth snapped shut, afraid he had offended his friend. He was just about to apologize again when he saw that Iba was staring down the street and not at him. Following his friend’s gaze he saw a figure standing twenty feet in front of them, leaning heavily against the wall.
“Who’s there?” Iba called out to the newcomer.
The figure lifted his head and Hisagi froze. Harada! Even in the darkness he recognized Kira’s third-seat and he was instantly at the man’s side. The third seated officer was injured; he had a hand clamped tightly over a bleeding wound on stomach and his voice was hoarse with pain when he whispered “Hisagi-fukutaichou...”
“Shit, it looks bad,” Iba said, eying the trail of blood behind the injured officer. He helped Hisagi lower the man down to the ground, propping him up with his back against the wall. “We’ve got to get him to the fourth or he could bleed to death.”
Hisagi nodded and started to check on the man’s wound. His eyes widened in surprise when Harada’s arm suddenly shot out and grabbed the front of his shihakusho.
“Fukutaichou...Kira-fukutaichou...” The man gasped out and Iba frowned.
“This is bad,” he said gruffly. “He’s hallucinating.”
“No,” Hisagi said gravely. “No, he’s not.”
The tone of his voice made Iba turn to look at him. The younger shinigami’s face was white as a sheet, and then it hit him. This man had gone to the transient world with Kira and Matsumoto. And this man had come back half-dead. Before Iba could stop him, Hisagi twisted his arm free of the injured man’s grip and grabbed him by his shoulders. “What happened?” He asked urgently.
Harada lifted his head and looked plaintively at Hisagi. Blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth. “You don’t...you don’t know...”
Iba watched the younger brunet take a deep breath and close his eyes. When he opened them again the intensity in them was frightening. “Tell me,” the 9th Division Lieutenant ordered, tightening his grip on the man.
Harada nodded and reached out to take the lieutenant’s arm. Hisagi’s hands started to shake.
“Kira-fukutaichou...” the man said, and Iba held his breath as he suddenly felt himself grow cold.
“We lost Kira-fukutaichou.”
TBC.
A/N: Dun dun duuuuuuu~uuuuun!!!!!!!!!!! Now, before you say anything...I love Izuru--I do! I swear I do!--but a writer has to do what a writer has to do. Even if she dies a little on the inside when she thinks about what she's doing to her boys (she totally loves it omfg).
...comment? :D