The Snake and the Mouse (Bleach, Gin/Kira)

Kira had walked past Gin on his first day at the Academy. It was a bright day and there was a light breeze stirring the dust in the courtyard. Kira would grow to hate that dust – it seemed to cling to everything when he was a student. Gin had been standing at the far end of the courtyard, well away from where the new students were being herded through the halls in a quick tour. Captain Aizen was there too and they were talking with a few of the other captains and vice-captains – Captain Tosen, Vice-captains Hisagi, and a few others he didn’t remember. Gin was smiling and Kira’s first thought of him was that Gin was a snake hiding behind the captains. It made him think of power.

Kira remembered thinking how cool the captains were, cooler than he’d ever be – a level of power that was unattainable for normal Shinigami. He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but for minutes afterward he’d felt like he was being watched. He told himself it was just nerves.

Classes consumed him. He’d always been good at studying, but he wasn’t the only one. There were other bright students here, some as good as him, maybe even some that were better. He put his whole concentration into learning. The sound of clashing swords became the rhythm of his day. Training was everything to a student, always training. If he was going to be a Shinigami, he wanted to be one of the best Shinigami and then maybe the captains would notice him.

They already had, but he didn’t know that.