Pity & Envy

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing

Kira pitied his captain. He didn't mean to but he couldn't help it. In truth, Kira didn't get an opportunity to really get to know Ichimaru Gin, until the latter made him his vice-captain. Shortly after joining the third, Kira couldn't help but notice the dearth of friends that Gin had. Indeed, Kira was struck by the utter lack of company that Gin kept.

Ever so often, Gin would head to the fifth division to share a meal with Captain Aizen. Unsurprising given how long Gin had been Aizen's vice-captain but that seemed to be the sum total of his social life. For Kira, that would be a source of great sorrow and angst. Kira loved his friends. He loved Renji and his boisterous ways. He loved Hinamori and her gentle kindness. He loved Hisagi and his reliability. He couldn't imagine his life without his friends.

Actually, he didn't have to. He well remembered his lonely days of his childhood, following his parents death. He never wanted to return to those days. Not that he was naive enough to think that everybody felt as he did. He knew that there were those who preferred to be alone and certainly his captain did give off an anti-social vibe. Yet no matter how hard he tried to reconcile himself and tell himself that his captain was happy with no friends whatsoever, he couldn't stop his heart from aching.

He resolved to be there for his captain, whenever he needed a friend that he didn't have. Yes, he would always be there for his captain. Even if he had to give-up some of his own friends, he would do it! But he would not let his captain be alone, if he didn't want to be alone.

One morning, shortly after coming to his resolution, Kira went to wake his captain, "Captain Ichimaru, may I come in," he respectfully asked as he gently rapped on the door. There was no response, yet Kira could feel Ichimaru's reiatsu inside. Kira tried again, "Captain Ichimaru?" again no response.

Kira started to become somewhat concerned. Ichimaru was not known to be a deep sleeper. If he wasn't responding but he was clearly inside... hesitantly Kira opened the door and at once was struck by how Ichimaru was tightly wrapped in sheets despite it being a rather warm day.

"Captain Ichimaru!" exclaimed Kira as he went to examine his captain, just as he got close enough to lay a hand on his captain, a strong vice-like grip grabbed him and pulled him down on the bed.

"Rangiku!" came the weak voice, as Ichimaru laid a hot, burning head on Kira's chest. Then he sort of froze, then sort of rubbed his head on Kira's chest before pushing Kira away roughly, "Not Rangiku," murmured Gin as he returned to bed, "Want Rangiku! Go get Rangiku!" came the somewhat delirious order.

"But Captain Ichimaru, I have to take care..." began Kira.

"Rangiku!" yelled Gin, "Get Rangiku!"

That definitely was an order. Reluctantly, Kira left the side of his clearly feverish captain and headed for the 10th Division. Though he wasn't entirely certain why his captain wanted Vice-captain Matsumoto Rangiku. Kira was not aware of any connection between the two. As he neared the 10th Division building, he found Rangiku with a bunch of low level shinigami to whom she was issuing orders.

Kira waited until she was done before calling her attention to him, "Vice-captain Matsumoto?" he began.

"Well hey," she greeted when she saw him, "Your Kira Izuru right? The new vice-captain of the 3rd Division. What are you doing here? Can I help with something?"

"Umm... I was sent here by my captain," explained Kira, "He's sick and he's..."

Before Kira could finish Rangiku screeched, "Gin's sick!" that was all she said before she shunpoed away as fast as she could. Leaving behind a stunned Kira.

By the time Kira made his own slow way back to his captain's quarter, Rangiku had already been there for sometime. Kira entered the room to find his captain happily resting against Rangiku's ample breasts and as the latter pressed cold compress to his forehead and whispered words that Kira couldn't quite catch.

"Can you lend me a hell butterfly?" she asked of Kira as soon as he entered, "Actually, better yet, can you send a hell butterfly to Vice-captain Kotetsu for me? Tell her to bring around some of the special soup from the 4th. Can you also send a hell butterfly to Vice-captain Ise? Tell her that she has to cover my paperwork for me. Thanks!" with that she turned all her attention back to the silver haired man pressed against her buxom bosoms.

For a moment Kira stood where he was, overcome by an odd sensation as he watched his captain snuggle into the chest of the ever beautiful Matsumoto Rangiku. It was as if Kira was completely shut out, even though he was in the same room with them, there was no place for him. They weren't even doing anything, they were simply so comfortable in each other's company that no one else could possible intrude. It made his heartache as he turned to leave, to go about completing the tasks assigned to him.

As he sent the first hell butterfly on its way, Kira realised something. He realised that he envied his captain. He didn't mean to but he couldn't help it. In truth, Kira hadn't had an opportunity to really get to know Ichimaru Gin, until the latter made him his vice-captain. Now that he had gotten to know his captain, he realised that his captain had something that he longed for. His captain had a love that filled his heart, gave him comfort and allowed him to slip into his own little world, where no one else could trespass. Kira would give anything, anything for a love like that.