Mimic

Part IX

Author's Note : Yay, I think it's at like the half way point. Oh! What's that I see on the horizon? Could it be lemon chapters???? Maybe! Thanks for the readings, thanks for the reviews.
Love y'all
Serpia-chan


Disclaimer : No matter how many nights I cry myself to sleep about it, I only own Bleach in my dreams.

Last Chapter *It was dark by the time Rikichi reached home. Instead of fixing himself something to eat, and maybe relaxing a little, Rikichi just tore off his robes and collapsed on his bed. He was in a dreamless sleep before his head even hit the pillow.*


Rikichi arrived at midday, just like Kuchiki taicho had requested. Although he was not impressed, it was not like he had anything better to do that day anyways. The taller man was waiting in front of the building, dressed in a yukata of dark red. His zanpakuto leaned against the wall beside him. His white hair pieces glistened in the sunlight, with his silky ebony hair flowing behind him in the breeze. For a fleeting moment, Rikichi thought Kuchiki taicho looked beautiful. Shaking himself free of the thought, he greeted the man, whose perpetual frown Rikichi suddenly found rather alluring. Kuchiki muttered a greeting in return, slid his zanpakuto through the belt tying his yukata closed, and pushed open the doors.

Instead of turning right and heading for the offices, where Rikichi had expected they were going, Kuchiki continued down the hall, to the training room. Once inside, Kuchiki closed the door and spun around to face Rikichi.

“Well, take out your zanpkuto, fukutaicho. We are going to spar.”

Rikichi's eyes widened as he stared at his captain. Spar? With Kuchiki Byakuya? It was unthinkable. It meant certain death for anyone under the level of fukutaicho. He hesitated for a moment, but then withdrew his zanpakuto. Renji had sparred with Kuchiki taicho. And so would Rikichi.

“Hae, Kyuusaisha.”

Rikichi released his zanpakuto with a flash of light, his katana enlongating and enlarging until it became a thick broadsword. Kuchiki smirked and withdrew senbonzakura, releasing her. Pink petals circled over head as Rikichi's broadsword responded to Rikichi's reflexive increase in reiatsu flow.

“Lets see what you can do, taicho.”

Rikichi charged for the unmoving man, only to nearly run into a wall of pink blades. Swiping and slashing at the wall did nothing, especially when Rikichi had to contend with another cluster of pink attempting to rip his back apart. Rikichi could see that he had no choice. He would have to use Kyuusaisha's Shikai abilities in order to prevent having thousands to tiny little blades embedded in his spine. Holding Kyuusaisha in a particular manner, Rikichi swung the heavy sword with all of his strength. The wind resulting from it blew the cluster back, the kidou laced in it forced itself through the pink petals, cutting through them and rendering them useless. Rikichi turned again to face the pink wall, only to find it gone, with Kuchiki taicho standing with his arms crossed. Rikichi looked up in time to watch the large pink cluster fall on him. After about half a minute of being suffocated, but not cut, by the whirling blades, they disapated. Kuchiki loomed over him, staring down at him as Rikichi tried to get up. Kuchiki sheathed Senbonzakura, and frowned slightly.

“You have a wind-based zanpakuto.”

“Yeah... its not very powerful yet, but it does the trick, I guess.”

“I see. You should train with it some more. It could be powerful you could improve it's accuracy. Now, can you use any kidou attacks?”

“Umm... not really. Kidou was never really my forte. I have good control, but I can't transfer a lot of my reiatsu into the attacks.”

“That takes practice alone. And you don't necessarily need to use demon arts. Look at Kenpachi. He has an abundance of reiatsu, uses it against his opponents effectively, and yet I doubt that he knows even one demon art technique.”

“Ah. But I don't have that much reiatsu.”

Kuchiki's frown deepened.

“I see. I've decided that you lack the skills you need to be an effective fukutaicho. You will remain here after work each day so that I may instruct you on how to use your zanpakuto more effectively. Additionally, I want you to go to the Academy at least 3 times a week to practice your basic kidou attacks.”

“Alright.”

Rikichi sighed. There went all of his free time for the foreseeable future. But, at least he'd get something out of it. It wasn't everyday that a taicho offered to train him.

The training continued for several weeks, and expanded into some weekend days as well. Rikichi began to improve at an impressive rate, almost to the point where he could overpower Kuchiki's Shikai.
Rikichi would never forget the day he finally accomplished his goal of knocking the taicho over. It had taken a particularily powerful gust of kidou laced wind, and a well aimed body check, to do so but he had done it nonetheless. The embarassed captain had refused Rikichi's extended hand and stood.

“Good job, fukutaicho. You need to practice more, though. In a real fight, that would have been very ineffective.”

“Hah! You're just pissed because I made you fall down.”

Kuchiki straightened his robe and sighed.

“Are you hungry, fukutaicho?”

Rikichi's stomach grumbled in response. They left the training room and headed for the room just off of the office.

It was as spectacular as ever, with its beautiful furniture and impressive décor glistening in the dim light. They sat once again at the low table, and Kuchiki procured a plate of goodies that had been stashed in one of the many cupboards. This was accompanied by a bottle of fine sake, and it wasn't long before both taicho and fukutaicho were feeling a little less than sober. Although Kuchiki knew it was dangerous for him to drink, as he tended to confess his deepest, darkest secrets over sake, he was enjoying both the mood and the company. It was far more relaxing around Rikichi than it was around Renji, although he would never voice that. Rikichi, on the other hand, had little drinking experience, and it showed in the way the boy began slightly slurring his words and giggling for no reason.

“Taicho? Why have ya got a futon in here?”

“Thats not really any of your concern, is it?”

“Is it true you kissed Renji, taicho?”

Byakuya's complexion lightened considerably and his eyes became just so slightly downcast. Rikichi, even in his lack of sobriety, noticed this.

“I am not sure who you heard that from, but it was a mistake that happened a long time ago. I'd prefer not to discuss it.”

“Ah c'mon taicho... its bothering you, so spill.”

Kuchiki pondered it for a minute. Rikichi was drunk, so he probably wouldn't remember much later, and he wasn't about to drop the subject either. It would be less hassle to tell him, but...
Kuchiki poured himself another glass of sake, rather sloppily too... more of it ended up on the table than in the glass, and shot it all back.

“We were having a discussion, one thing led to another, and I made the mistake of believing that he had interest in me. Instead, I found out that he had chosen to be with Ichigo earlier that day.”

“... that kind of sucks, taicho. Do you still like Renji?”

“No. I have my eyes set on another person.”

Rikichi straightened up in his chair and leaned forwards onto the table. This was getting juicy... it reeked of deja-vu from academy days past when Rikichi and his friends would sit around and discuss the female students.

“Who, taicho? Matsumoto-san? Ise-san? Maybe one of the ...”

Kuchiki leaned forwards and caught Rikichi's mouth with his own. Their lips parted and Kuchiki's tongue darted into Rikichi's mouth. The table moved, seemingly of its own accord, as Kuchiki made his way forward. A hand crept up along the fold of Rikichi's robes and up his neck, until it caressed his cheek. Kuchiki continued to kiss the unresponsive boy until he was shoved backwards hard. Rikichi looked down at Byakuya with a look of horror before heaved himself to his feet and fled the room.

Byakuya just lay where he had been pushed, hating himself for allowing himself to be put in this position once again.

“Rikichi...”