Don't Tame Your Demons: Kenpachi Zaraki x Mika *New*

Part Eighteen

"Again, Mika?" Ai said, pretending to be stren. "I see you more than any other shinigami, you know."

"Trust me, it's not intentional," I said then sought to change the subject. "Did Reo and his idiots behave while they were here? I'd meant to ask."

"They were shockingly quiet," Ai told me. "Sullen but at least not outright difficult. I take it I have you to thank for that?"

"You haven't heard the rumors? You have me to blame for them being here in the first place. I wouldn't say thanks were in order for that."

Ai laughed and warmth like a late spring's day wrapped around me. More and more I found myself wanting to make her laugh, to make her smile, I suppose that's what it's like? Having a friend? It was new, but not as uncomfortable as what I felt when...well...my mind shied away from the bit of vulnerability I'd showed Zaraki. I shook my head to clear it.

"I'll still thank you, even though I had to deal with them," Ai said. "Yes, I did hear the rumors. And yes, he completely deserved to be slammed into a table. I envy you being able to do that."

"You should be able to, too," I told her. "I need a practice partner sometimes, someone not in my section. What do you say?"

I suddenly felt uncomfortable. It actually mattered to me if she said no. What the hell was I coming to?

She hesitated. "I'd never be good enough to offer any kind of help."

I shook my head. "I don't need someone to help me. I like to work slowly through new techniques. I just need someone to block and observe and let me bounce ideas off of them. You'd be perfect."

She smiled again. "Ok, that sounds like something I could do. If you're sure I'd actually be helping. You're not just trying to make me feel ok about having you coach me?"

"No," I assured her. "I really can't do anything like that with the shinigami in my section. I have to have the technique down solid before I go through it with them. You'll be helping me."

Ai blushed lightly. The color lit up her face beautifully and I felt myself glow but quickly stuffed the emotion back down underneath the surface. She bent back over the raw wound open on my shoulder, her touch feeling like a cool spring caressing the abused area.

"So what happened this time?" she asked me.

"Wish I knew," I told her. "I guess that's what the captains are talking about with Lieutenant Abarai now."

"So you witnessed it and they didn't ask you to join?" she asked, a slight frown darkening her face.

"No, I guess they just wanted to hear from the lieutenant. I told him everything I could, anyways. Nothing more I could add," I said.

"Still, it seems like they'd want you there."

I tried to make light of it as she shifted to the wounds on my ribs. I almost sighed as the cracks began to knit.

"You know how it is, can't have rank and file knowing things, right?"

She didn't seems appeased but I could offer nothing more so I let it lapse into silence. Ai continued to work her miracle on my aching body until it felt like the spring had washed over every inch of me and carried away the pain. She met my eyes then and I saw hesitation there, like she was debating with herself whether to speak or not. I let her take her time, not doing her the dishonor of averting my eyes. If she wanted to speak, that was her decision. If she wanted to remain silent well, I respected her enough not to push.

I felt a spiritual pressure wash over me, a lightning storm replacing the cool spring. It demanded my attention and I turned to see Zaraki enter.

"Come on, Mika," he said.

He didn't even pause to see if I'd comply, simply turned with the assumption that I'd join him. Then again, he had no reason to suppose I wouldn't. I shot an appreciative look at Ai who was watching me and my captain with far more perception than any other shinigami. Her hand brushed my shoulder, lightly, hesitantly. I paused for just a moment and then hopped off the bed and followed Zaraki.

"Captain, any word on what I saw?" I asked him.

"Arrancar," he said, unhelpfully.

"But it looked like..." I started and he interrupted me.

"It was dark," he said. "You'd been drinking and the body stayed in its released form. They decided there must have been an odd resemblance and that was all."

I was floored. They didn't believe me? I knew what I'd seen.

"Captain," I said, my tone coming out sharper than I expected. "I know what I saw."

He stopped and his gaze fixed on me. I refused to let myself shrink before the enormous man. I held my ground, eyes blazing.

"The hell do you care what they think?" he asked.

I didn't waver a bit. "I don't. I care what you think."

"Huh," his head jerked up just a notch, "I think you can see better at night than you let on."

And he turned to walk on. I deflated a bit. He believed me then? I hurried to catch up, moving quickly without making myself look ridiculous.

"So what do we do?" I asked him.

"Same thing we always do," he told me. "Keep watch and take down any threat."

****** This one's short but I wanted to go ahead and share it. More coming soon! ******