I ran through the divisions as fast as possible I needed to see him. After all these years I needed to see him just once. Though I would be seeing him more, I was a captain now. He didn’t know I was here yet and I wanted to surprise him. The meeting was just about over and it was time for me to be announced as 9th division captain. Waiting at the door I steadied my beating heart. It had been years since I’d seen him. Since those days we had drunk sake together. He had been a womanizer then and probably still was. The man I was waiting to see was my best friend and my true love, Shunsui Kyoraku. Even though he didn’t know that I was head over heels for him. The only person I had told was the man I considered my brother, and was also Shunsui’s best friend, Jushiro Ukitake. It would be great to see him again too. Many people claimed him and I looked alike. But neither of us had ever seen the resemblance. I brushed my white hair back from my face. The doors were opening. I stood tall and waited to hear my name “welcome, 9th division captain Ami Katasumi.” The head captain said as I entered the room. Bowing I remembered the names and faces of all the captains. When I looked back up the person who caught my eyes was the one wearing a bright pink haori. A smile touched my lips. “I’m honored to be here” I said glancing at the other captains. After a little while the meeting was dismissed and everyone left. Only two stayed to wait for me. Dashing out of the room I flung my arms around Shunsui. “Ami!” he said steadying himself so neither of us would fall. Pulling away a little I smiled at him. He just chuckled. I pulled away completely and went to hug Jushiro. “nii-sama” I whispered. He smiled “where have you been?” he asked my smile fell. “I-I was training” I lied glancing at Jushiro I mentally told him I would tell him later. He seemed to understand. “So umm Jushiro can I stay with you tonight? All my stuff is in my room and there is nowhere for me to sleep.” I asked his smile which had fell when I had lied to him returned. “Of course you can. I always have room for you” he said I jumped happily for a moment. Then the single most enormous yawn left my lips. I quickly covered it up and giggled slightly. “I guess I’m kind of tired” I said stifling another yawn. We left and went to Jushiro’s room. Sitting around drinking sake and tea (sake for Shunsui and tea for me and Jushiro) we all reminisced about the days back in the academy. “I remember,” Shunsui said “when you got so mad at me you threatened to jump off the roof” “yeah but you forget I actually did jump” “and I caught you at the bottom didn’t I.” he stated mater-of-factually. I stuck my tongue out at him. Jushiro chuckled at our antics. Knowing full well we were just kidding around. “I believe,” Shunsui yawned “that it’s time I left and went home.” He stood up and nodded at Jushiro “ ‘Night” he said then bent down and placed a kiss on my forehead “ g’night princess” he said picking up on the nickname he used to call me “n-night” I said a blush the color of renji’s hair crossing my face. He didn’t seem to notice and left closing the door behind him. I turned to Jushiro “I can’t believe he done that” I said looking at Jushiro trying and failing to hide the nice shade of crimson that coated my face. He chuckled, and then went serious. “Ami... Where did you actually go for all those years?” he asked. I looked at him my eyes filling with pain. I told Jushiro about what happened. How for years I had been held captive by Aizen how I was raped and tortured. I also told him I now had a terrible fear of thunder and of being alone though I could better deal with that one. “So is that why you wanted to stay with me tonight?” “That and I missed you.” I said bringing a smile to his lips “If you don’t want me to I won’t tell Shunsui. But it would be better for him to know so he could be there for you when I’m not” he said I nodded. He was right after all. “I’ll tell him soon for you kay.” I said smiling he nodded and kissed my forehead in a brotherly manner. “Time to go to bed goodnight” “good night nii-sama” I whispered almost asleep.
It was about two weeks later Jushiro had asked I be moved in with him having to tell the head captain my story to get him to agree. He also adopted me as his sister. Being that I had no relatives after my parents died years ago when me and him were still in the academy. I was about to go to bed when there was a sudden crash of thunder. I screamed. I didn’t want to be alone right now but I couldn’t go to Jushiro. He was in the 4th division after having a bad coughing fit. I had to go to someone though. So I ran to Shunsui. He wasn’t in his office it was too late, not that he would be there anyway. So I ran to his room. I knocked franticly on his door my night gown wet and cold as the wind whipped it around my legs. I heard stumbling and a few curses then the door opened. As soon as I saw him I threw my arms around him, tears streaming down my face. It thundered again and I shook with fear. “Ami? What’s wrong?” he asked it was all I could do not to stutter when I told him it was the thunder. He quickly brought me inside. “You were never scared of thunder before now? What happen when you were gone for all those years Ami? Where did you go?” he asked I trembled as I told him what happened. His eyes seemed to light with hate when I told him who had done all those things but cooled down when I shook hearing another crash of thunder. He wrapped his arms around me, whispering in my ear trying to get me to calm down. When that didn’t work he tried wiping away the tears that drenched my face. “shhhhh.” He said kissing my forehead “I’m here. You’re okay. I’ll protect you” slowly my tears stopped, the thunder having disappeared. “is-is it okay if I stay here tonight?” I asked he grabbed the cover from the foot of his bed. And wrapped it around me “won’t you get cold?” I asked he chuckled and picked me up bridal style and carried me to his bed. Setting me down gently, he lay down beside of me. “Sleep” he ordered “you’ve had a long night.” I nodded and laid my head on the pillow our faces were almost touching. I ignored the blush that spread across my face and waited till I thought he was asleep then kissed him on the lips. “I love you. You really don’t know how much this means to me” I said as I laid back down quickly falling asleep. The next morning I woke to the sun shining in the window it was about twelve not that it mattered I wasn’t coming in today I just knew I had passed hisgai on my way here last night. And I didn’t want to answer to many questions right now. I turned over because i was cold so I nuzzled into Shunsui’s chest. I may never get to be this close to him again so I was going to milk this situation for all I could. I felt his arms tighten around me and looked up. “Morning” he said “it’s too early for morning” I said I could feel him chuckle as much as I could hear him. Looking up at him I sat my chin on his chest and glared at him. He just smiled. There was a knock at the door and Shunsui got up to get it. “Is Ami here?” I heard Jushiro say from the other room “yeah she’s in my room on the bed” “so you know?” “Yeah” I got up and walked into the room and dropped on my knees. Both men rushed to me. “ami are you okay?” Jushiro asked “yeah I just haven’t eaten in a few days” this made both men sigh. Shunsui walked into his kitchen and brought in a tray of chocolate covered strawberries. “I keep these on hand for moments like this” he said. I grabbed one in each hand and took a bite from both of them. After I finished as many of them as I could hold I handed the half empty tray back to Shunsui. “Thank you” I smiled. He wiped a bit of chocolate from my face then looked closer. As if magically something came up Jushiro stepped from the room. Shunsui pressed his lips to mine and licked my lips one time before he moved away. “You had chocolate on your lips” he smiled. “You just wanted an excuse to kiss me” I said matter-of-factually, he chuckled. “Maybe” he said helping me up from my sitting position on the floor. I tripped and fell into his chest. “Sorry” I said pulling back a little and smiling up at him. He smiled. Looking in his eyes gray eyes I seemed to get lost. For a second I couldn’t breathe. Then slowly our faces moved closer. His lips brushed mine. Not like before this one was more careful as if he wasn’t sure I wanted him to do this. But when I kissed him back all thoughts like that vanished from his mind. We kissed until neither of us could breathe, then pulled away. “So I wasn’t mistaken when you said you loved me” I blushed “you heard that?” “Yes. I also know you kissed me” he smiled “I love you to,” he said “I’ve loved you for years. I just never knew if you returned my feelings” I looked into his eyes “I have always loved you.” “Always?” I smiled at his question “Always”
