A Shinigami Valentine

The tension that had haunted the patrol for days had been ratcheted even higher by the knowledge that they were being targeted by Aizen and his hollows. Several man wondered aloud about the attacks they had avoided. Would they still be alive if not for Lt. Iba's forethought and planning?

After sending word to the Sereitei, the patrol quickly left the town. Again, they stuck to the thick forests and the narrow paths that winded through them. Akina was hyper-alert. Someone in the Seretei, someone she knew, had betrayed their location to Aizen. Someone she trusted had tried to kill her and the other members of her patrol unit. The thought was coldly sobering.

"Akina," Tetsuzaemon spoke her name softly. She'd noticed him working his way to the back of the squad where she brought up the rear.

"What's up?" she aked, falling into pace with him. He glanced up at the nearest shinigami then slowed his pace slightly, widening the distance between the two of them and the others.

"I don't want the others to know about this but Kaito Kimura said there had been other attacks." he said in a low voice. Akina looked over at him.

"Other attacks?" she asked sharply. He cut his eyes up quickly then hissed,

"Shh! Keep your voice down."

"I don't understand." she said in a softer voice.

"Kaito said the other patrol squads, from the other Divisions, had been hit by multiple attacks too. Division 10's gotten the worst of it...besides us, I guess. If we had run into all those attacks...shit! I don't even want to think about it. We'd have lost most of these men." he growled bitterly. His words stunned her. It was one thing to think of them being targeted but all the patrols? The full depth of it boggled her mind. Aizen must truly have an army of hollows at his disposable.

"What are we going to do?" she asked him quietly. He shrugged.

"Stay alive. Kick the fuckin' hollows asses. Protect the Sereitei." he said coldly.

"Just do our job?" she asked with a faint smile. He grinned sharply. For a moment, he reminded her of Zaraki. Longing cut deep at her heart. She wondered if she'd ever see him again. After their stay in Buzen, they would begin the long journey back to the Sereitei. Five more days out in the open. Five more chances for the hollows and arrancar to attack them.

"Stay alert, Akina. We can't afford to drop our guard now." Tetsuzaemon warned her coldly before moving forward to take the lead again. Akina sighed deeply. She was doing her best but it was taking it's toll on her.

xxxxxxx

They arrived in the town of Buzen as the sun was setting in the west. They circled the small village, coming at it from behind. It was decided that two guards would be posted outside the inn all night. The shift would split among four shinigami. Tetsuzaemon tossed all the names into a bowl, drawing out four. Akina was relieved that hers was not drawn. Moving slowly, she headed for the inn.

Akina dragged herself up the stairs. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept. Exhaustion had left her short-tempered and grouchy. Her nerves were raw and her patience shot. She'd already gotten into two fights with her squad members before making it to the inn. She just wanted to sleep, she thought as she unlocked the door to her room.

The room was small but clean. A large, western style bed dominated the small space. A short table and wooden chair sat near a lone window, overlooking the street below. Akina dropped her pack, heading straight for the bathroom. It, like the room, was small and clean but it held a treat that made Akina's heart sing. A bathtub. A huge, claw-foot monstrosity that could easily accommodate two people. She stared at it longingly. She hadn't been able to bathe properly since she had left the Sereitei. The thought of luxuriating in the huge tub overshadowed her weariness. She was reaching for the brass taps when she heard Mai call out,

"Akina, you in here?"

"Yeah?" Akina said wearily, leaning heavily against the door frame as she faced the other woman. Mai flashed her a quick smile, looking around the room.

"Our rooms are next-door to each other...and identical." she laughed, avoiding Akina's gaze. She was acting weird, Akina thought as she watched Mai wander aimlessly around the small space.

"Something wrong?" Akina asked softly. Mai looked up, her expression sad.

"I really need to talk to you. I know you're tired but I don't want you to hear it from one of the guys. I probably should've said something before now but...I just didn't want to talk about in front of everybody." Mai explained. Akina cocked an eyebrow.

"Mai, I don't know what you're talking about." she snapped impatiently.

"Back at the Sereitei...since you left...there's been a lot of gossip lately about you, Akina." she said with a sigh.

"Crap." Akina whispered, shuffling over to sit on the foot of the bed as Mai continued,

"I don't who started all this but it's spread like wildfire. Everyone's talking about it. I even heard some of the guys joking about some of the rumors on the way here."

"What are they saying?" she asked, holding Mai's eyes.

"All kinds of lies. Mostly, it's about you and Lt. Iba. It's some bullshit about how you're together behind Captain Zaraki's back. I know it's not true. Anyone with half a brain would know that you two haven't been a couple since...forever. And Tetsuzaemon would never cross Captain Zaraki. He respects him too much." she said with a wave of her hand. Akina dropped her head to her hands. Surely, Zaraki wouldn't believe such nonsense, she thought desperately.

"There's more..." Mai whispered. Akina looked up. Something in her tone, set Akina's nerves on edge. She was getting close to her breaking point.

"Go on..." she prompted Mai.

"There's talk about you and a lot of other men, Akina but whoever started the rumors dredged up that old story about you setting fire to the Sereitei."

"What?" she whispered, her voice low and hushed. No, she thought darkly. Not now.

"Yeah, I don't believe it. I never did. You're too sweet to do something like. But they're saying that you started the fire in a fit over some teacher that you were supposedly sleeping with. I'm sorry. I just thought you had a right to know." Mai said with a sad smile. She moved to the door slowly.

"You need to get some sleep, Akina. You look completely wasted." Mai added softly as she opened the door. Akina nodded, trying to comprehend all that she'd been told. Her mind didn't seem to want to work.

"I am...I really am." she said with a weary sigh. Mai left. Akina sat there, her mind lost to a decade earlier. She had been a senior at the Academy. The fire had been her fault. In her jealous rage, she'd done the unforgivable. It had burned all night, taking out the entire wing before they could stop it. She could still feel the heat of the flames licking her face. They had called her crazy and expelled her from the Academy. She was brought up on charges and forced to appear before Commander Yamamoto. It was Captain Komamura that had saved her. He'd taken responsibility for her and given her a second chance. Akina had never looked back.

She closed her eyes, blinking back the pain. His name had been Isamu Takeshita. Tall, broad shoulder and muscular, he had taught combat training to the senior students. Akina had been taken with him the first time she saw the handsome man. When he'd drawn her aside, he told her how special she was. He had tenderly whispered that she was different from all his other students. She had been in heaven. Young and naive, she didn't know that it was wrong. He lavished her with attention and told her that he loved her. She believed him. She gave him her heart completely.

His office became their meeting place. He had taken her virginity there. He had sworn his undying love to her there. It had been there that Chizu had told her about the others. She'd shown her the collection of tiny china dolls the man collected. Each one rare and beautiful, each one represented a conquest, a former student. She might not have believed her had there not been a new one. A slender, delicate beauty with flowing red hair. It was there, in his office, that she had started the fire.

Akina wanted to destroy everything he loved. It was all in that small room. She wanted to destroy the place that had taken so much from her; her innocence, her trust, her heart. She wanted to him to feel the same pain that she felt. But it had gotten out of hand. She couldn't stop the flames. They had swept wildly out of control, engulfing the entire wing of the Academy. She couldn't do anything except chase the people out and watch it burn. It was the last time she ever set foot in the Academy.

It became common knowledge that she had set the fire. It was fodder for Sereitei gossip for some time. But only five people knew the whole story. Akina and Isamu Takeshita. Captain Komamura and Commander Yamamoto. And Chizu. Chizu had to be responsible for spreading the latest round of dirt on her. She was the only one who knew about Takeshita. At least, the only one who would talk about it.

Akina closed her eyes and stumbled into the bathroom. She was worried about Zaraki. What was he thinking about all this? She trusted that he knew her well enough to see the lies for what they were. She had to believe this, otherwise, it was all gone. There was no way he would want to be with her. She turned on the hot water, watching the steam fill the room. She had to trust in his instincts. One thing this long, exhausting patrol duty had taught her was that she didn't want to lose him. She didn't know whether it was love she felt or not, but she cared deeply for him. She wanted him and the life he offered her. She wanted it so much it hurt.


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