"Akahana?". You lookedup from the papers on your desk as your name was called. Unohana was standing in the door to you small office. "Yes, Captain?" "The eleventh squad just requested our assistence. The Leutnant is sick".
You nodded and packed everything you would need for treetment. It was winter in the Gotei 13 and the flu just washed over the squads, so this was dayly bussiness for you at the moment as the third seat of the fourth squad. Before you left your office you grabbed the the brown haori that was way to big for you and threw it over your shoulders. Captain Aizen insisted on you wearing it after your last visit, finding your own haori had been way to thin for the temperature outside. "What should we all do if of all people you get sick, too?" he had asked with a too sweet smile as he'd laid the heavy piece of clothes over your shoulder. Actually you didn't really want to take it, feeling unconfortable with the captain's behaviour but on the one hand it really was icy outside and on the other hand you hadn't want to offend the captain.
Clouds formed with heavy breath you blew out as you made your way over to the eleventh squad. Too your surprise no men were fighting outside while all the other days not even the snow or the cold temperatures had stopped them.
As you stepped over the empty courtyard the door to the baracks was opened and the eleventh's third and fifth seath stepped out. "The captain forbade fighting while the leutnant is sich since they are too loud and wake her up all the time" Yumichika explained your questioning look around the squad. "I see" you simply replied and stepped past the two men into the barracks. "Who is she?" "Well, she's a sick child" Ikkaku replied with a sigh and you nodded, children are more difficult to handle. "The bigger problem is the captain at the moment" the bald men went on and Yumichika nodded in agreement "He's worried about about Yachiru and doesn't want anyone to get near her" "We'll with me you has no choice" you stated with a smirk and stopped in front of a door, you already could hear a child whining behind. "Better stay so you won't catch anything" you told the men, then opened the sliding doors and stepped in.
It was dark, warm and stuffy inside the the room and it took some time for your eyes to adjust to the dim light. The child was laying on a bed role, covered with a thick blanket up to her nose, so only her feverish red head was sticking out. A wet cloth was placed on her forehead. She was wimpering in her light sleep.
"Poor thing" you sad as you kneeled and brushed sweety hair out of her face. A cleared throat made you realized that there was another person in the room. Looking up you found the squad's captain, Kenpachi Zaraki sitting in a corner, starring at you suspiciously.
"Who are you?" he asked in a grough voice without moving from his spot "My name is Akahana. I was sent from the fourth squad to treat your leutnant" you replied and before Kenpachi could say anything else to hinter you from doing your job, you got up and stepped the sliding door on the other side of the room that lead outside.
"First of all we need some fresh and light in here" with that you opened the door and allowed the cool winter air to fill the room. "It will get cold" Zaraki protested but you ignored it "This hot and humid air isn't good for her". Then you stepped back to Yachiru who meanwhile had woken up and was eying you with interesst. Gently you lifted her out of bed and the the blanket to the side "This is full of snot and sweat. We need to change them. Do you have clothes to change her?"
Captaim seemed stunned that he was getting orders but eventually he got up and got anything you asked for from a closet in a corner.
"Now you will get some fresh clothes" you said to the young girl, who nodded and allowed you to redress her.
Kenpachi's P.O.V.
You watched intently as this woman took care of Yachiru. She was catching your interest. On the one hand she was bossing you around with natural dominance and strength and on the other hand she was handling Yachiru with such a gentleness. As loving her eyes were when she was looking as the girl as stern they were while talking to you. And her riatsu. It wasn't the one of a healer, it was the one of a fighter and you definitely could feel strenghts behind that petite form.
But something was bothering you in this picture. That haori. It didn't look like something this woman would choose to wear. It was too big for her either. This would something that the fifth squad captain would wear
Akahana's P.O.V.
While you redressed the tiny leutnant you gave further instructions "Change the everything dayly and a bath with herbs will help go get her lungs free" now you looked directky at the captain "No hot water and no cold either. Luke warm". As Kenpachi nodded still a bit spechless you returned your attention towards Yachiru and led her back in the fresh bed. Grabbing you medicine back, you pulled out a vessel and a spoon,. "This may taste a little bitter" you explained while putting some of the medicine on the spoon "But it will push immune system and help you get better"
Yachiru shook her head as you held the spoon in front of her mouth but you wouldn't give up that easily. "If you drink this, you will get a lollipop afterwards". The girls eyes widened and quickly she clamped her lips around the spoon and sucked in the herb juice.
Laughing you placed the spoon and the bottle on the floor beside you, then reached into your bag to get the promissed sweat. Yachiru squealed in delight and stuffed the lolly in her mouth, sucking happily. Gently you pushed the child back into a laying position and started to sing a lullaby while you tugged her in and placed a freshly wettened cloth back on ger forehead. Yachiru listened to you happily while still sucking on her sweet and after it was gone, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
"She needs this juice twice a day and-" you interupted yourself in youe explanations as you took a closer look at the captain. His eyes were red, as was the tip of his nose and a thin layer of sweat stood in his forehead.
Kenpachi noticed your intent muster and tried to look away but you already were in front of him. You feld his forehead then felt for his lymph nodes under his chin. He had a fever and the nodes were swollen. "You've caught it, too" you stated a little reproachfull. "It's nothing" he replied and tried to push your hands of. "It is!" you contradicted and got up "You shouldn't be that close to Yachiru or you only will reinfect each other over and over again". "NO!" Kenpachi decided but you didn't care. "If you want this child" you pointed at the sleeping Yachiru "To get well soon, you better keep yourself and your bacterie away from her"
For a moment Kenpachi stared at you angered but then he sighed and got up "Fine". He made his way over to the door but before he was out you stopped him. You pulled another bottle out of your back and handed it to him "Take two spoons twice a day" you told him and smiled at him gently. Kenpachi blinked at your sudden change of moods. "Sometimes I have to be stern with my patiens" you giggled.
A few minutes later you left the barracks of the eleventh squad and walked back to your own, pulling the haori closer around you. Suddenly a male shinigami with messy brown hair stepped in front of you. "Akahana Watanabe" he started and pulled his sword "I challenge you for your hand in marriage". Not again. You sighed and drew your own zanpacuto as the man ran towards you.
Two days later you once again entered the eleventh squad to check on your patiens. This time a few men were training out in the snow. You shook your head at the barely dressed sweaty men and counted them as 'to treat soon'. Of course the men immitiadely spotted you but most of them kept their distance. One grabbed your shoulder as you passed by "Hey sweety-" he started but before he could even finish his sentences you had thrown him over your shoulder and into the snow, holding him there with your rising spirituel pressure. "Don't touch me accept you want to be treated by me in the squad 4 baracks". The man gasped under your spirituel pressure and also some of the other shinigamis were having problems standing but as your victim nodded panic-stricken you released them and got up. "Good"
As you looked up Yumichica stood at the entrance, his jaw dropped. You closed his mouth as you passed him and he snapped out of it. "Who are they?" you asked and waiting for Yumichika to walk up to you "Kenpachi has gotten worse but Yachiru...well see yourself"
You laughed as you opened the sliding doors. Yachiru definitely was better. She was fighting with Ikkaku, who tried desperately to get out of her bed "Let me go baldy!" she whined and hit him with her tiny fists "I want to go to Kenny".
Yachiru the spotted you and you signaled Ikkaku to let go of her, so she could run to you. "Mommy!" she shouted happily and threw herself in your arms. "Mommy?" you asked confused as you sat the child on your hip. "Yes!" the girl exclaimed and threw her arms in the air "That's your nickname. A mommy ist beautiful, smartand gently and your all of it". Slightly you blushed at her compliment, then put her back on her feed to check on her. The fever was still there but only slightly, the nose was still running but the lungs were free.
"Your much better but you still need to rest" you ordered and tugged Yachiru bag into her bed. "Where's Kenny?" she asked sadly and you stroke her cheek "His sick to and to not make you sick again he has to stay away from you" you explained the girl nodded "Can you make him healthy again, so I can go play with him?" "Of course" you promised, then kissed her forehead "But you have to promise me to rest and listen to these two". Sleepily Yachiru nodded and lifted her hand with an outstretched pinky. You hooked your own with it and you shook your hands.
"Now would you please lead me to the captains room?"
Stepping into Kenpachi's room you sighed as you found the man sitting at the open sliding door. "I know I said fresh air is important but sitting in the cold the whole time won't help either". Grumbling he closed the door and turned towards you.
"What happened out there?" he asked while you started the check up. Kenpachi closed is eyes as if he was enjoying your touch. "Your men just don't know how to treat a woman" you replied, knowing that he must have felt the rise of your spiritual pressure "Could you remove that?" Kempachi shrugged of the top of his uniform and you had to admit you liked the sight of the hard muscles that came into few. While you listened to his heart and lings with a stethoscope he asked "Why are you in squad 4? Your wax too strong for it"
"I was born in a family that loves fighing and only accepts strong partner to marry into our clan" you started to explain, not really knowing why you atually were telling this "To be allowed to marry you have to beat the member in a fight"
"I guess you have to fight a lot" Kenpachi stated with a smirk and you could feel your cheeks getting hot, realizing this was a big complement from the rough captain but he was right "Yes. Many men have challenged me so far". To busy yourself your rummaged through your bag, feeling a little uneasy under the intense stare of the huge man. "Since I have to fight a lot and also injure the attackers I enjoy the calmer life in squad for. I also love to heal the shinigamis"
Though Kenpachi propaply didn't understand the joy of not being forced to fight he nodded and leaned back against the wall. "Anyway" you said, comming back to what you actually were here "Your fever has risen und you lungs don't sound good. You really need to take care of yourself. If not for you than for Yachiru, she needs you" "I know" kenpachi admitted.
You left him some more medicine and stood up to leave. "Wait" Kenpachi stopped you and as you turned back around he was pulling something out of a drawer beside him, that he threw at you. You caught the soft bundle and as you unfolded it you found a beautiful soft pink haori with a cherry blossom pattern in your hands. Something you would never exspected to belong to this captain.
Confused you looked back at the captain but he didn't meet you gaze, instead looked out of the window "Take this and give that brown thing back to Aizen". He growled the name of the fifth squad captain. "How do you knew it's from him?" you wanted to know, still holding the haori "It just looks like it would belong to him" Kenpachi grumbled, still refusing to look at you "And now just take it. I don't need it. I just to wrap Yachiru in it when she was smaller".
Flattered to be given this present, ou shrugged of the big brown haori and slipped into the way better fitting pink one and pulled it around you. It was soft and warm,
"Thanks" while smiled happily but Kenpachi just grunted. You had to surpress a giggle. The eleventh squad captain could be shy.
On your way to your next appointment you felt like dancing and giggling like a teenager girl.
The next day you were in the fifth squad captain's office looking at the thermometer in your hand "Your temperature is back to normal" you said to the softly smiling Aizen. "Your treatment worked wonders" "Well I guess I can declare you as healthy" you replied without falling in with the captains compliment. You didn't know why but you always felt a little uncomfortable with him.
"You don't wear the haori I gave to you anymore" Aizen suddenly said poutily. "Oh yes" you remembered and pulled said clothing out of your bag, handing it over to the captain "Thank you very much. It helped me al lot over these new days" "But now you got a new one" he just stated and you blushed lightly at the thought of Kenpachi "Yes, it was a present".
Aizen nodded but let it go for the moment. Instead he got up and suddenly stood very clothe to you "Akahana, I have to admit that I grew quite fond of you"
You swallowed hard, suspecting was was coming but from the last person you wanted to hear it from. "I was thinking about deepening our relationship"
"Captain Aizen-" "Sosuke" he interrupted you "Please, call me Sosuke" "Sosuke" you pressed out "You knew the rules of my clan"
Sosuke nodded and sighed, turning to look out of the window "I know but I do not want to fight you" he explained, then faced you again. He tried to take your hands but you took a step back. "Then I have to refuse" "I see" Aizen sighed and guided you to the door "If your feelings ever change, let me know". You didn't really react to this, just said goodbye and left.
A few days later you were once again back at the eleventh squad to check on the captain. The your surprise he already was waiting for you on the trining grounds, while Yachiru was building a snowman behind him, wrapped up in a thick coat.
"You seem better" you stated happily but instead of answering Kenpachi just drew his zanpacuto and your eyes widened. "Kenpachi?" you stammered and he laughed "Draw your sword woman" "You know what this means?" you asked as your heart started to beat faster in excitment. "Of course I know and now fight" Kenpachi told you and finally you did was asking you for.
The fight was long and hard, none of you were willing to give in. Though you were willing to loose this time, you were to proud to loose just like that. In the end you were laying on the snowy ground, feeling completely drained, while Kenpachi was standing above you, the tip of his sword to your throat.
Glancing to the side you saw Yumichika putting away his own zanpacuto, then he winked at you. You knew about the power of his sword to drain everyone of spiritual pressure and immidiately knew what he had done.
Kenpachi laughed out and removed his sword "I sure hope you like the name zaraki, because you will be wearing in soon "I guess I can live with it" you replied smirking as Kenpachi pulled you of the ground. He pulled you against him and crashed his lips onto yours. The whole squad cheered and whistled as you wrapped your arms around his neck to return the wild liplock.