Does anyone else think that this is the cutest pairing ever?

Ok, so maybe it's a little bit crack, but not really. It's on my list. Hey, UlquiHime (which is most definitely NOT crack) is on my list. About the only pairing that ISN'T on my list is IchiHime, because I will never write that. Ever. I refuse on principle and don't try to change my mind, I won't try to change yours.

Soooo here's a little story I wrote a few days ago (I have four exams in three days starting tomorrow. Chances of me writing anything = 0). Ah, Hana... He needs a hug, he really does. Much love to little Hana.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, I just obsess over it too much.

Two Roads

[Well, um, I didn't save you, but, um, can I have points for trying?]

Hanataro Yamada was not, by definition, popular. In fact, strictly speaking, he was the very definition of unpopular. He was good at what he did, yes, that was why he had the Seventh Seat in his Squad, but that didn't stop everyone both above and below him using him as a target for their pranks.

This was why he was going the long way back to his Squad. Sometimes they had even been known to set traps for him on the normal route back. He wasn't stupid… He was just small, and rather shy.

That day was the first day he saw her. She was stood there, her bearing proud, looking out at the view from the boardwalk. Her hair was black, short, and she had purple-grey eyes. She didn't look over at him, and he didn't try to get her attention. He was only from Squad 4, after all. She'd probably just make fun of him like all the others.

But the image of her standing there, looking out, her face proud but sad, was fixed in his mind like it had been branded there.

He realised later, when he was wondering what her name was, that he had no way of finding out. She was a stranger; he didn't even know what squad she was in. Feeling slightly down, he went to appeal to his Captain for help.

"Um, Captain?" He started. She smiled at him.

"Come in, Hanataro," she encouraged, and he walked in and sat down on the stool nervously. "What troubles you?" He bit his lip, playing with his fingers nervously.

"Um, I was wondering if, um, you knew who this one person was," he started. "Um, she's… Quite small, and, um, she has black hair, and, um, it's got a little flicky thing at the front and it just reaches her shoulders, and, uh, her eyes are a kind of black-purple colour… A-and she's a Soul Reaper. Um, but I don't know what Squad." His Captain sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"Well, that sounds a lot like Captain Kuchiki's recently adopted sister," she remarked. "But I cannot tell you for certain without actually seeing her. Might I ask why you want to know?" Hanataro couldn't look at her. Captain Kuchiki's sister. That made her a Lady. A Lady of a noble house. He had been fanta- no! He had been thinking about a Lady. How stupid. How foolish. Any thoughts of trying to find out more about the mysterious girl, who had seemed so proud and yet so sad, had vanished from his mind.

Captain Kuchiki's sister.

"N-no reason, Captain Unohana," he mumbled. "I-It's not important." His Captain sighed sadly as he fled feeling strangely crushed.

The next time he saw her, her noble bearing was the first thing that struck him. Of course she was a noble. How could she not be? He kept himself well hidden, small – he was good at that, he had had years of practice – and watched, instead. Watched as she walked with her brother. The path she trod was far above his. Their roads would never meet. This small, sad girl he had glimpsed once on a pathway… They had nothing to connect them. Nothing.

And she would never know how he watched her, wishing there was just one thing.

"Hanataro? May I speak to you for a moment?" His Captain requested as he swept the Infirmary one day.

"Oh, o-of course, Captain!" He replied, clutching the broom handle uncertainly. "Is something the matter?" Her face seemed sad, strangely disheartened.

"Perhaps you had heard that they brought a criminal in from the human world recently," she told him. Hanataro frowned.

"A criminal?" He repeated. "What did they do?" His Captain sighed.

"She leant her powers to a human," she responded. "They have requested someone to look after her. Sweep the cell; bring her meals, things like that. I was wondering if you would want to do it." Hanataro looked at the floor.

"Is it someone I know?" He asked in a small, quiet voice, dreading the answer.

"It is Rukia. Rukia Kuchiki. From Squad 13." His head shot up with a cry of surprise.

"R-Ru… Miss Rukia?" He repeated. "But she can't be a criminal, no! Why would…" He trailed off. "I'm sorry, Captain… I'll do it." His Captain laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, making him look at her, his eyes wide with fear and heavy with sadness.

"Do all you can for her," she told him softly. "She is due to be executed in one month." Hanataro stuttered, unable to say anything truly coherent, as his Captain closed her eyes, sighed, then turned and walked away.

"…Miss Rukia?" He started softly, those words being the first he had ever said to her. "Um, I brought you something to eat. Can I come in?" She simply sat there, not saying a word. "Miss Rukia?"

"Come in," she replied, her voice soft, sad, but still full of that noble bearing that defined her. He unlocked her cell and walked in, laying the food by her chair, and looked at her. He wanted to say all the things he'd never said to her, tell her he'd seen her, watched her, respected her from a distance; he wanted to tell her everything.

"…There you go, Miss Rukia," was all he managed, and he bowed respectfully and walked away, locking the cell after him, in his head replaying what could have been, the conversation they could have had, if only he had just said something to her.

He'd stand outside her cell and sweep, he'd sweep inside her cell, he brought her food, and never managed to say much to her. He hated himself for being so shy, but it was self-defence – he had only ever been hurt before.

On the fourth day, it became too much to say nothing.

"M-Miss Rukia," he started, gripping the handle of his broom tightly to calm his nerves, "why are you so sad?" She made a surprised noise.

"…Because… I hurt someone," she replied eventually. "Someone who was… A very dear friend to me." Hanataro bowed his head, trying not to hide his disappointment. She had already given away her heart. He had always been so foolish to yearn for her, that woman who walked a path far higher above his, and who had now come crashing down to fall below him, a broken bird ready to die.

"What was his name?" He asked, realising only then that he was presuming a he.

"Ichigo," she replied. "Ichigo Kurosaki." She sighed softly. "He was… Special. He was human, but… Ah, he was different. I'm here because of him… But because of me… His fate was twisted… Twisted and broken… He's… He must be d-dead…" She screwed her eyes closed.

"P-please don't cry, Miss Rukia!" Hanataro begged, and she shook her head.

"Let me tell you about him," she offered, and Hanataro nodded, eager to hear her voice even if it was talking about the one who had stood in the place he had only dreamed to stand in.

He would listen to her every day as she spoke of Ichigo, becoming animated, more the person she had been once more when she did. He asked, and listened, happy that she was happy, no matter how she became happy, happy that she was eating again, that she was more alive when she talked. And he loved to hear her voice, her, talking to him, and never saying anything snide, just kind words, a slight smile, and stories about a human turned Soul Reaper.

He was surprised when, one day, he went with food to find no-one there.

"Um, isn't Miss Rukia here?" He asked the assistant Captain of Sixth. "I'm supposed to bring her food."

"Idiot," he spat back, making him cringe and make himself small, the way he always did. "She's been transferred to the Penitence Cell. You're not in charge of her any more." Hanataro bowed his head.

"S-sorry, Sir… I-I'll go…" He stammered, vanishing as quickly as he could.

She had never even heard his name.

Hanataro sat in the underground waterway that would lead them to the Penitence cell, thinking. Thinking about her, and how, until they had dragged him with them, he hadn't even considered trying to save her. And how, even now, all he did was cower at the back, like a coward.

He couldn't keep on that way.

He had to try. To bring himself a little closer to her road. Even if it did nothing… he had to try.

He went to the storage rooms and took a spare key for the Penitence Cell. Even if nothing else, he could help her. He had to help her. He… He wanted her to be happy, even if that happiness was for the boy he was helping now, all he wanted was for her to be happy, so he could see that smile back on her face again.

"Hey, where did you get that, pipsqueak?" Ganju asked, surprised, as he produced the key.

"I took it from the storeroom in the underground waterway last night," Hanataro explained. "I was thinking… Thinking how all I ever do is watch… and I thought, maybe I should try and do something like you and Ichigo…" He hung his head, putting the key in the lock. "But all I managed to do was steal a key. Not very much…" Ganju shook his head.

"I think you've done more than your fair share," he replied, his voice strangely kind, an emotion Hanataro had rarely heard used when addressing him. There were only two other people who talked to him kindly – His Captain and Rukia.

He watched Rukia as Ganju realised who she was, and saw that she had become sad again, retreated inside her shell, letting nothing touch her, awaiting death. It disheartened him – he had been no good. He'd thought he'd helped her, made her happier by letting her talk to him… But it had been worth nothing, much like most of his efforts always were. Worthless. That was a label people often branded him with. He tried his hardest, just like when he'd healed Ichigo and Ganju before, but he never got anything in return but unkind words and hurtful gestures.

But he would keep trying, in the hopes that one day, someone would say thank you.

He couldn't believe it when they were stopped by Captain Kuchiki himself – and neither could Ganju, it seemed. When he chose run over fight, Hanataro did understand – she had killed his brother after all, and if it were an enemy standing between you and saving someone who had hurt you, he would probably have picked run, too. But it wasn't an option for him. This was Rukia – she meant the world to him, even if she probably didn't even care who he was, this worthless Squad 4 boy who had spoken to her once or twice. Even though he was a seventh seat in what was arguably the weakest squad, and had a zanpaku-to that healed rather than hurt, he had to try. He stepped forwards.

"P-please, take Miss Rukia and go," he requested of Ganju. "I know that she's an enemy, but… Please try to save her." Ganju shook his head, the opinion that Hanataro was an idiot plain to see on his face. It was a look that Hanataro had often seen, to be fair, and perhaps this time it was deserved, but he didn't care. He took another step forwards, fists clenched to stop the uncontrollable shaking. He was going to die. That was mostly certain. But at least it would be helping her. Helping Rukia. "I know you don't want to save her because she's an enemy… I wouldn't risk my life for an enemy, either," he continued. "But…I came here to save Miss Rukia. So… So that's what I'll do." He could feel the cold gaze of the Sixth division Captain on him, wondering why Ganju hadn't run yet. That would be the sensible option, after all. "P-please take care of Miss Rukia," he finished quietly. He would go gladly to death for this woman who had never even asked his name, who had thoughts only for Ichigo, who would be put to death anyway if they failed, because to him, she was everything.

Everything.

"Hanataro, no!" She exclaimed as he stepped forwards, and that surprised him. When had she heard his name? Ganju must have said it. Was that it? No, Ganju had only called him Hana, or pipsqueak, or some other jibe about his size. Did that mean she'd asked? She'd actually wanted to know his name? The revelation would have been enough to knock him off his feet if he hadn't been focusing a good deal of his energy on trying not to keel over under the immense spiritual pressure Captain Kuchiki emitted.

"Please live, Miss Rukia," he whispered, stepping forwards again.

In the end, it was Ichigo who saved her, someone much more qualified for the job. It left Hanataro wondering why he tried. He'd wanted to save her, even if his efforts would have been meaningless he would have given it his all. But in the end it was Ichigo who interfered, Ichigo who cut her from the scaffold, Ichigo who defeated her brother and convinced him to save her from a traitor's blade. All of it was Ichigo. No wonder she only had eyes for him, no wonder she had only ever spoken of him. If it came between choosing between Ichigo and himself, Hanataro knew who he would rather put his life in the hands of. But he'd wanted to save her. So badly. He'd wanted, just once, to prove that he was worth looking at, that he could stand up there with the fighters and be strong. He wasn't strong – he was weak, and pathetic, a joke really.

But if he'd tried, she would have seen him go out fighting, and maybe she would have thought of him then, at least.

He was sweeping part of the Infirmary that had, until recently, been inhabited by a large amount of Squad eleven, who had put the normal insults to original and inventive uses. That was a part of his punishment for assisting Ryoka, given to him by his Captain, and when the alternative was prison he was quite happy to sweep around people who didn't have enough brain cells to knock together to realise that calling him a stupid moron was actually two words that meant the same thing, and so a waste of breath on the extra two syllables. They also seemed to generate dirt – there was enough of it on the floor to conceivably say that they actually left it like a trail behind them – but now they were gone his sweeping might make a little progress.

The Seireitei was trying to act like nothing was wrong, when it was clear that a large number of things were, the most obvious one being that two Lieutenants had suddenly had Captain's duties thrust on them, and another was half-dead in the Infirmary and so unable to take on the duties she should have been doing. Tenth Company was doing them instead – but the fact that they had to at all only served to emphasise that the magnitude of treachery that had made itself evident was huge.

It made Hanataro strangely angry to learn that Rukia had been used, used right from the beginning. First as an innocent carrier for something deadly, at the eventual cost of all that she was, and secondly as a sacrifice for former Captain Aizen's evil scheme. Hanataro could actually honestly say that he hated Captain Aizen, and he didn't hate easily. He had hurt Rukia, and he knew that Captain Aizen was the reason that his Captain cried when she thought there was no-one else there. Hanataro went unnoticed, so he in turn noticed these little things.

He hadn't seen Rukia since he'd been taken from the bridge by Captain Ukitake. He'd wanted to, but part of his punishment was being under semi house arrest. He wasn't allowed to leave the Squad Headquarters except for in emergencies, should they arise. He reasoned that she probably wouldn't want to see him anyway, since he'd made rather a shambles of trying to save her.

He heard people talking in the corridor, but kept sweeping anyway. They would probably walk straight through and leave a trail for him to clean again, but that was ok. He was being punished, so it should be a punishment.

"No, no, it's all right, I'll find my own way… Oh, Hanataro!" He looked up in surprise upon hearing her voice. Saying his name. In what could only be described as pleasant surprise.

"H-hello, Miss Rukia," he greeted in a low voice. "I-I'm glad you're ok." Strictly speaking, he shouldn't even be talking to her. She was a noble, and she wasn't in prison, and he was nothing to do with her any more.

"Thank you," she replied with a smile. "I'm pleased you are, too." He smiled weakly, unable to manage much more than that.

"Wh-who are you here to see? I-I can escort you if you like, Miss Rukia," he offered. She smiled at him.

"I'll be fine, but thank you," she responded. "Hanataro…" He looked at her expectantly. "Will you promise me something?" He tried to stop his face from falling. This was the inevitable rejection. She would push him away – he was a weak little boy from Squad 4, she a proud and noble warrior. Never see me again, she would say, or stay out of my sight in future. "Never put yourself in danger for me again!" She insisted, catching him off-guard.

"S-sorry, Miss Rukia?" He asked, confused. That was a very unusual method of rejection.

"My brother would have killed you!" She replied. "I was so worried! If Ichigo hadn't come, or Captain Ukitake hadn't been there… I don't want you to die!" She closed her eyes. "I didn't want you to suffer for me. You were… Kind. You spoke to me as a friend even when I was a criminal. You gave me a chance to talk. I… I appreciate that. Thank you." Hanataro blinked.

"You… You just thanked me," he whispered. Rukia nodded.

"Well, of course," she responded. "You helped. A thanks is long overdue, and not enough, even if you were stupid enough to fight my brother for me." Hanataro gripped his broom handle tightly.

"N-nobody's ever thanked me before," he whispered. "Th-thank you, Miss Rukia… B-but I can't promise you." She frowned.

"Why not?" She demanded, hands on her hips. "I expect a promise!" He cringed away from her.

"B-because I don't want you to be in danger," he replied, his voice rushed and hurried, stumbling over words in an attempt to get his reasoning out before she walked away, disgusted. "I-I would have d-died, but at least you would have been s-safe! I… I just wanted you to be safe… I… I… I wanted to be the one to help you… I-I know I didn't do much, and, um, it was really Ichigo who saved you, b-but I wanted to try, to… To be of help. I just… I just wanted you… To see me… I didn't…" He was dimly aware that Rukia was still standing there, watching him with what could only be described as pity in her eyes, perhaps with a bit of care, too, although Hanataro had never seen anyone direct that particular expression at him, so he couldn't be sure.

"Hanataro…" Rukia murmured, sounding slightly awestruck. "I never realised… That you felt that way about me. I saw you watching me, but I thought you were in awe of my brother, or…"

"Y-you saw me?" Hanataro asked, unsure what to think about that. Nobody ever noticed him – nobody ever cared. But she had seen him, standing in the shadows and watching, wishing that he could walk her path with her. "N-nobody ever… Sees me… N-nobody ever cares…" Rukia looked torn.

"I know what it's like," she murmured. "To be alone. I was always alone… People would always treat me differently because I'm a Kuchiki. It… It hurts." She looked at him, at the way he was clutching his broom and probably looking quite forlorn. He wanted to straighten up, to prove that he was strong and was not, in fact, almost in tears because she had thanked him, she had actually said thank you, rather than 'oi, you, shift it,' and she had actually asked his name and she knew how he felt, and… It was all rather overwhelming.

"I-I'm sorry, Miss Rukia," he mumbled. "I didn't mean to… To…" She shook her head.

"It's not your fault," she replied. "It's my brother's… My sister's… Everyone else's. But not yours." She smiled suddenly. "Hey, I have an idea. You be my friend and I'll be yours, ok? And I'll treat you they way you deserve to be treated if you don't treat me like 'that spoilt noble', ok?" Hanataro made a slight noise. She'd been labelled, too… He'd labelled her himself. But she wasn't like her brother. She was nice, and kind, and… She was offering him her friendship. She didn't want to walk on her road, and she didn't want him to walk on his. She wanted them to meet in the middle, not on any set road, but on a free track, one they would make themselves, one forged of friendship.

"I-If you want… Miss Rukia," he agreed softly. She held out one hand, and, uncertainly, he shook it.

"Good," she decided. "And you can start by dropping the 'Miss'. Just Rukia will be fine." She smiled at him. "I'm glad I met you, Hanataro." She breezed past him, presumably resuming her search for whichever Infirmary occupant she had come to find – probably her brother, in hindsight – and left Hanataro in a daze.

"I'm glad I met you, too, Rukia," he whispered.

A/N - Well... Ok. It wasn't really a pairing fic per se, in that they did not officially become a couple or anything like that. But dammit, I like it! It was supposed to end there.

Anyway, thoughts appreciated. I vaguely remember that this was slightly tricky to write. So, improvement suggestions are welcome :D