Title: Rewired

Author: Cuzosu

Rating: Eventually M. This chapter contains swearing and yaoi implications.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, and I make no money from this. It's merely a tribute to Kat's "Wire" because her version made me think up other scenes that could go well with hers.

A/N: Based off of Kat's "Wire" but is essentially an extended version with minor bits changed from her story. This chapter has slight tweakage from how Kat had hers, though.

A/N #2: On adultfanfiction . net there will eventually be a sixth chapter, thanks to General Zargon's query, but that might be too explicit for FFnet here, so I don't know if I will post it here or not. I'll keep you updated. My username on AFF is still Cuzosu, and I should soon have an account on AO3 as well.

Rewired: Three Down

"So, are you going to the graduation this year?"

Lieutenant Hisagi nearly punched his blond friend. "Dunno." He took a drink of potent sake, relishing in the burn as it went down.

Kira frowned at his tattooed comrade. "You haven't decided yet? Shuu, it's tomorrow."

"So?" He tossed back another cup, knowing he was drinking excessively but inexplicably on edge because of the upcoming graduation. Damn it, I want people to teach again! Shuuhei shook off the thought, knowing his next turn on the rotation wouldn't come for some time. Anyway, it wasn't like he even liked teaching, unless the students were serious and hard-working. Although he'd gained so many things to tease Rangiku over that it almost wasn't funny...but no, it was. (Who couldn't laugh, knowing that the busty woman had been flirting with students in the cafeteria one lunch, was bumped into by a succession of three jealous preppy girls—one of whom tripped a second later and knocked into the guys, the nearest of which lost his grip on his drink and tumbled forward. A moment later the world seemed to freeze as the drink came open and gushed its contents onto Matsumoto, most of the liquid and a portion of the ice catching in her cleavage. Rangiku had exclaimed something about saving the poor falling youth, catching him and holding tight...so tight that he nearly drowned with his face pressed to her chest. Whatever the kid's name was, he avoided the affectionate female at all costs after that, even going so far as to request a seat on the other side of the room during classes. And oh, Shuuhei had laughed...)

An elbow to the side jerked the scarred lieutenant back to his senses just as aforementioned busty woman breezed into the bar. Her eyes scanned the room and seemed to light up when they hit upon her tattooed and blond comrades.

Fuck, thought Hisagi. At this rate, escape won't be possible unless we slip something into her drink. And unfortunately, I'm out right now. Kira, buddy, you better come through for me!

Graduations were a pain in the ass that Shuuhei had long since made a habit of avoiding; the last one he'd attended that hadn't been a teacher's duty...had been when Abarai, Kira and Hinamori passed their final year and were appointed Gotei members. So it was with great surprise that he found himself deciding to attend this one.

The fact that Ichigo—Kurosaki, damn it! No matter how many times they'd talked or sparred, they weren't that close—was graduating had nothing to do with it.

It wasn't a duty this time, so it wasn't like he had to go, but something—some sense of impending fate, he would tell himself later—compelled him. Attendance might not be required, but surely it never hurt to look good for those who would soon act as part of the Gotei? With this logic, he caved.

Probably the most startling part about attending this graduation was the number of captains and lieutenants present. Oh, Hisagi certainly knew the whys of that; there was a redhead graduating today who was friends with most and had a bit of a problem with drawing chaos to him. Perhaps some of those officers here were just around to see what happened with the inadvertent trouble-rouser.

He shot a glare at Matsumoto, who was hanging off her captain again. Then, for good measure—and to be fair—he glared at Kira. Gods damn the both of you. Her for getting me drunk and him for not dosing her drink so we wouldn't have hangovers this morning.

It probably wasn't charitable of him, so he broke away from that train of thought and gazed around a little more.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto was seated in line, waiting for the graduates to assemble and his lieutenant to begin the event. Luckily the wait wasn't long this time, though Shuuhei ignored most of the droning speeches and roll call on account of not knowing any of the graduates save the last.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," called Lieutenant Sasakibe solemnly.

It's like a gong; he speaks and I want to kill him for giving me a headache, Kazeshini told his wielder. Won't you release me? I promise I'll put him out of my misery quickly.

Shuuhei's eye twitched. He set a hand on Kazeshini's sealed hilt and thought back, Nice try. But you're forgetting something. If I get locked up for letting you kill him—or for killing him myself, which is what it would amount to—then who would be able to let you out to play at all?

Kazeshini's presence in his mind froze for a moment, stunned to temporary silence. Well shit. I hadn't thought about that. Never mind.

The tattooed man sighed. No doubt Kazeshini would attack him later because he didn't want to be stopped. He lived in the moment, did Kazeshini, and though those bright blue eyes might fool people into thinking he was nice, Hisagi knew better. Besides, the damn blade was probably plotting how best to take out the other lieutenant when they were alone... And it wasn't like Sasakibe was that bad; he was actually a decent guy, helpful and dedicated, although he refused to work for anyone but the Captain-Commander himself. Kazeshini was just kind of kill-crazy, that was all. Blood-thirsty at the very least.

While lieutenant and zanpakutō had been conversing, Sasakibe had listed the highly-touted achievements of the young redhead. Now he was moving on to the heart of the matter, the single, undisclosed detail that officers of the Gotei Thirteen were salivating to know. (Or, in the case of Byakuya Kuchiki, requesting imperiously, because drooling was just not his style.)

"Newly appointed captain of Squad Nine."

The gathering broke into a spattering of applause, astonished demands for clarification, and a certain undignified redhead bounded over to his friend and drinking buddy to demand to know when Shuuhei had been going to share this little detail.

Although he could feel Renji's sheer volume practically blowing his head to one side, that wasn't something he could focus on. Lieutenant Hisagi's only and rather dazed thought was, Well, fuck me. I never expected that.

It took a little time, but eventually Renji realized his friend was as astounded as he was, at which point the redhead decided to go ambush the new captain. Shuuhei shook himself to his senses and found a convenient tree, sat down and leaned against it as he watched the chaos bemusedly. Why would Kurosaki have chosen Ninth for his own, when he had the pick of all three vacant captain positions?

He must have fallen asleep pondering the situation, because the next thing he knew, Kurosaki was looking down at him with a look of slightly perplexed amusement.

"So, ah, sorry for springing this on you so suddenly," the redhead began.

Hisagi frowned minutely. Was he—Kurosaki was nervous! He wasn't sure of his reception? Or was it just a case of unfamiliar territory?

"I...hope we can work well together," and here Shuuhei nearly snorted at the trite and overused phrase, "and...well..." Ichigo sighed. "Mind helping me until I figure out how to do the job?"

Shuuhei couldn't help but scoff, teasing laughter underlining his words as he jokingly said, "Are you telling me I'm not done teaching yet?"

Ichigo chuckled, put at ease by the tone of the raven-haired man's voice. "Well, you have a way of making sure the lessons stick..." The light in his eyes danced merrily, humor rising in response to the good-natured teasing.

"Damn, and I thought I was done for at least five years!" He snapped his fingers mockingly, shaking his head with an air of despair that was so fake Ichigo had to fight back a smile. "Nah, you learn well; you'll pick it up quick enough, and I'll wind up with more time on my hands that I won't know what to do with!"

Something in Ichigo twinged unhappily at the prospect of just what, exactly, Hisagi might end up doing, but since it wasn't making sense, the redhead ignored it and grinned. "Thanks."

In agreement and willing to cooperate, the two nodded affably at each other and headed for their respective homes, relishing the chance to work together that the new day would bring.

Walking into Ninth's headquarters first thing in the morning was...odd, to say the least. And Ichigo Kurosaki felt awkward as he greeted his new subordinate, who was still going to have to teach him for a time—and for whom he felt...something. He wasn't sure what, exactly, though he could admit that even with his scars, Hisagi was hot. Well, maybe that was part of why he felt awkward.

I'm not used to dealing with people I think are hot on a day-to-day basis. As the lieutenant raised a hand to salute, Ichigo groaned. "Please, no... No formality this early in the morning, especially when I've still got so much to learn about the job!"

Shuuhei chuckled and yawned. "Have it your way," he said, stretching. "But don't go crying to Captain-Commander Yamamoto later that I'm too informal!"

Ichigo snorted. "Not likely!" he scoffed. Amusement settled the last of the redhead's nerves, bolstering his fortitude as he followed his teacher/lieutenant into the building.

There was an abundance of humor in Shuuhei's voice as he said to the younger man, "It's better for morale to introduce you to the squad at morning training, though I'm sure you'll be glad to know the captain's paperwork is piled on your desk, waiting for you."

"Oh, yay," grumbled Ichigo. "I'm so happy. You give the most wonderful presents." His eyes narrowed when Hisagi laughed.

"Not all of it's from me," demurred the lieutenant, dark eyes dancing with mischief. "As a matter of fact, I believe a good portion of it has to do with the transition of authority to the new captain. And I don't rank high enough to give you that." The amber glare did nothing to faze him. "Still, as I said, meeting the squad comes first. They should start trickling in over the next half hour, and anyone arriving after that is considered tardy and will be reprimanded in an appropriate manner. It doesn't do to be late the first day of working with a new captain, after all."

Something in Hisagi's smile was vicious and cruel...and Ichigo almost pitied anyone who arrived late that morning. As, almost inevitably, two shinigami did.

Kurosaki stood, seemingly impassive, at the front of the morning's training line up while Shuuhei tore strips off of the latecomers. The rest of the squad winced occasionally at the words used, or the stupidity of attempting to make an excuse. Really, anyone who'd served with Lieutenant Hisagi for even three months knew full well that he could be a hard-liner more than most, and he would. For the good of the squad, he would.

Every now and then Ichigo caught something Shuuhei was saying, though he was trying to block it all out. Thankfully it was a relatively short dressing-down—harsh, but short—and he was soon being introduced to the squad.

He hoped they weren't expecting him to remember all the names, because he'd already forgotten some of them. But then that was one of the reasons he'd chosen to join Squad Nine; surely Shuuhei would help him out? And look totally fuckable in the process—No! Bad Ichigo! Quit drooling over your lieutenant!

By the time Shuuhei returned from dressing down the latecomers, Ichigo had himself under control once more. But if the older man kept looking that good, it was going to be a looong day...

A/N: So, um, it took longer than I wanted it to, but here's the third chapter. Hope you enjoyed it! (I did; writing Shuuhei's snide self is utterly hilarious!)