Nyu

He had always found the Rukongai district a bit sad to walk through, even now at his much older age. The lonely, often orphaned children that wandered the streets without a home, family, or even as idea of what to do after passing into the Soul Society, depressed him. Therefore, it was no wonder that Ukitake Jushiro, Captain of the 13th division, could be seen randomly handing out snacks or spare pocket change to any orphan that passed by him on any given day. He tried to make it a habit to come down as often as his wallet, paperwork and sickness permitted him, though ironically it was the paperwork that made it hard to visit.

He munched hungrily on the last of the snacks he had up his sleeve, his favorite place to hide anything from prying, frowning eyes of such other Captains like Kuchiki Byakuya. It was a splendid type of jerky, hard gamey meat that came from one specific shop in Rukongai. He had made it a point to never ask exactly WHERE the meat came from, thinking he would probably be better off not knowing, as was his philosophy with other things in his daily life.

The many alleyways he passed down were all the same- dark and filled with the left over, sometimes scavanged remains of wood and metals the people of the Ruknogai made their houses out of, the trashcans found at some alley entrances filled with unusuable papers as always. Ocassionally he saw a stray dog coming out of the one of them, but as he tossed the now empty bag into one of the trashcans and closed the lid back he heard a sound he hadn't heard in a very long time.
"Nyyuuuu?"

Ukitake stopped in his tracks, blinking a bit before he turned back around and stared down at the, what looked like it was empty, meowing trashcan. He walked over to it, lifted off the lid and stared down into it. His empty bag was one of the only occupants, next to what looked like a scruffy, dirty looking animal. He slowly reached down and grabbed the creature in both hands, lifting it from the trash can up into the air.

"A cat?"

"NYU!"

It was a cat, but such that the ears, four legs and tail was as close as you could get to a cat. It wasn't a well looked after animal at all- it's dark brown hair was matted in some places, long and curled around its face. Its mouth was curled up in a perpetually never ending smile, its eyes half lidded and staring lazily out down at Ukitake. Its long, equally curly tail flicked casually back and forth, its cute, soft pink ears twitching ocasionally as it started up a long, deep purr in its throat.

Ukitake stared up at it for a good long while before he smiled and cradled the animal in his arms. "Hello to you too." He pet the cat gently between its ears, staring down at it while it stared back up at him. "Did I throw my trash on you?" The cat made a shoulder roll that could have been taken as a shrug to not worry about it, and it stretched out comfortably in his arms, the smile on its mouth just growing wider. Ukitake smiled- he hadn't seen a cat in a very long time, not since his days in the academy with Kyoraku Shinsui, his long standing friend and fellow Captain of the 8th division. Shinsui....

Ukitake picked the animal up under its front legs and lifted it back in the air, the purring never ending as he stared up at it a little harder. It blinked down at him lazily and meowed gently, and Ukitake laughed, hugging the animal back to him over one shoulder. "I wondered who you reminded me of!" He gently pet the animal's back and stroked its surprisingly soft fur, smiling at the low, deep purring in his ear. He pet it a few more minutes before his smile faltered- he knew he would never be able to bring the animal into the Seireitei, much less keep it. Ukitake sighed heavily and pulled the cat away from his shoulder, setting it back down on the metal trashcan lid. He gave it one last pet between the ears with another sigh, and turned around, walking away. He had spent too much time in the Rukongai anyways, and he was sure beyond a doubt he should probably return to his duties, least his two third seat assitants go crazy looking for him. He made his way back through the alleys towards the white gate, smiling down at the children and adults who waved at him, several of them giggling as he passed by.

Ukitake lifted his brow at that, and noticed as he walked he was receiving several giggles from children and adults alike. He was about halfway to the white gates before he was stopped by a giggling young girl tugging at his sleeve, pointing behind him. He blinked, turned..and stared straight down at the smiling brown cat he'd left on the trashcan. It gently padded up to him and wound its way around his legs, meowing the same lazy meow as before. Ukitake sighed and picked it up, staring down at it."I CAN'T keep you, you know. Animals aren't allowed in the Seireitei." The white haired captain sighed as he pet the cat again, and it looked up at him with eyes like the ones that he saw everyday- the same, lazy, smiling eyes of his best friend. Ukitake smiled and sighed, hoisting the cat up on his shoulder. "Alright, we'll see...but don't be too surprised if you can't stay with me. I swear," he chuckled to himself as he made his way towards the white gate, "You really ARE just like Shinsui."
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He had no trouble making it through the white gate, though getting back to his division was a little harder. Several people, including a few vice-captains, met up with him on the way, asking him about the scruffy, brown animal so throughly attached to his shoulder. He just smiled warmly, telling them about he'd found it in the Rukongai, and it just wouldn't let him leave it alone. Hisagi, one of the several people who ran into him, simply lifted a brow and kept on with his walk. Others, like Matsumoto and other girls from the different divisions, awed and cooed over it, petting the happily purring animal depsite its appearance. It was almost an hour later than usual before he made it to his secluded house, glad to see the surrounding water and gentle tree ladden bank side as he opened the door. He was surprised, really, as he sat the cat down, that no one had said anything about the animal, but then again... He sighed and sat down on his futon as the cat walked over to him. People usually let him get away with a lot, him being both a captain and a constantly sick man.

It was his sickness that kept him from being able to do quite a few things, and he supposed no one said anything about the cat because they were afraid of upsetting him into another coughing fit.

Still, he supposed as the cat crawled into his lap, being sick did have its uses sometimes. He ran a hand over the cat's smooth back with a smile, the brown mess of fur and long whiskers smiling back up at him. Ukitake knew it was only a matter of time before word got back to the other Captains, especially Yamamoto-Sensei and the Captain of 4th Division, Retsu Unohana. Anything that would further agitate his health, most definately including a stray cat picked up from the Rukongai, would not be permitted around him or in the Seireiei. "Well then, " he spoke to the cat more than himself, "we'll just have to clean you up so you look more..presentable." Ukitake picked the cat up with a sigh. "If getting you to a bath is as hard as it is with Shinsui, then that definately will never happen." He smiled up at the cat's same shrugging motion and nodded. "Alright...just don't scratch me up too badly."
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The black hell butterfly came sooner than he expected, but it wasn't surprising in the least. It fluttered through his window and landed gently on his outstretched finger, relaying its message before Ukitake nodded and it gently fluttered back out. He turned his attention to the now clean and mostly dry cat laying in front of him, a towel wrapped around it. "Alright, I hope you saw that. Unohana-Taicho is on her way here to see me about YOU, " he poked the cats pink nose, "so behave yourself." He smiled and toweled the cat some more before tossing the wet towel into a nearby hamper, rolling his sleeves down. The bath was less painful than he thought it would be, the animal seeming to take the bath rather well. "Only two scratches, that's pretty good...uh..." He looked down at the cat cleaning itself. "Hmmm...you don't have a name yet, do you?" He paused a bit before gently petting the animal. "Well, no need naming you right now if I don't know if I can keep you yet. So, be good!" He smiled down at it and made himself look presentable, getting his hair brushed and neat just before the knock on his door. He went to it and opened it, smiling warmly down at the small, brunette woman standing in front of him. "Unohana-Taichou."

She smiled up at him and bowed, and he returned it. "Good evening, Ukitake-Taichou. I had heard there's another occupant living with you?"

Ukitake nodded and let her step inside, sure she looked down and saw the brown cat on his futon. Lacking any grace at all in her presence, it was casually stretched out, eyes closed and mouth curled as it purred where it lay. He held in a smile and a moan at the same time as she turned and looked at him. "You do know, Ukitake-Taichou, that having a animal or pet of any kind inside the Seireitei is not allowed."

Ukitake nodded. He had exected this kind of answer from her, and Unohana-San was not one to dissapoint. "Hai, but it wouldn't stop following me, and I think it would have come in here even without me bringing it."

Unohan knelt down the the cat, gently petting it with a soft smile. "It does not seem to be an aggressive creature. They do say having a pet around calms nerves and lowers blood pressure." She stood and looked back up at him. "As long as it does not cause you further illness or harm, I will talk to Yamamoto-San about letting you keep it, thoguh I can not promise anything." She smiled at him warmly. "We'll just say its for your...health."

Ukitake stared down at her for a moment before he smiled widely and gave her a deep bow. "Arigato, Unohana-Taichou!" He stepped aside and let her pass, bowing to her once again as she made her way out of the door, and he shut it and turned back to the cat. He sat down by it and pulled it into his lap, speaking only after he was sure they were alone. "Looks like I get to keep you after all! That means now I really do need to give you a name. Hmmmm... what should it be?" the cat looked up at him with that same lazy eyed look as before, making the same shrugging motion. Ukitake stared down at it, its soft, curly brown fur, the gentle lazy eyes and curving smile that reminded him so much of his best friend. Ukitake thought about him, the straw hat and pink, flowered haori he always wore, and smiled down at the cat. "Well, uh..." he lifted the cats tail, stared and put it back down, "girl, how about Sakura? Do you like that name, enh, Sakura?"

"Nyuuuuu.."

Ukitake laughed. He figured that was as good an answer as he was going to get.

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AN- first Bleach FF. I fell for this pairing not too long ago after having a BLEACH-episode-a-thon. Shunsui always reminded me of a cat and inspired me to write this ^__^
Comments welcome, flames will be deleted. Corrections always welcome about honorifics and the such. PEESEOUT!