Alright, I'm sorry, okay? I was batting an idea around in my head with no one to help me and then I do that little 12 favorite bleach character meme (or is it just a survey? I don't know these terms...) and Hanataro x Ikkaku comes up, I have to do a summary for them. My summary was unconsciously the summary I had for my story I've been wanting to write, only the idea was with a different pairing, then I read over it and was like; "Well... I guess the universe has spoken." And it has. Unfortunately, Kenpachi x Yachiru came up. That was only barely worth the pain of seeing those two... Oh... I'm getting a little bile in my mouth... Ick...ICK!
Inspired by: Guardian Angel by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (Yeah, it's stupid. Leave me be. I wanted to write it.)
*I paraphrased a quote in the first paragraph, at the very end. The man it is accredited to is Ben Nicholas.
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(For new readers, I'm doing summaries for certain parts of the story where to focus or setting is changed)
Hanataro has been bullied nearly since becoming a Soul Reaper by the bane of any member of the Fourth Division's existence, the Eleventh Division. He'd love for it to end, but he's afraid of his own shadow and has been for a very long time.
It's a possibility that his easily frightened demeanor could change, and he could become a stronger person, but that certainly couldn't happen on his own.
Ikkaku is bored, and desperate for a division. Normally he wouldn't look twice at a weakling from a non-combat division but he'd dug himself so deep into a routine with no changes, he's willing to try just about anything.
Hopefully, they'll come together and give each other what the other needs, though it's a possibility that opposites only attract when you're talking about magnets. Throw divisions that hate each other into the mix and some ill-placed intentions into the mix, each of them having baggage a plenty to bring to the table and it's up to fate where everything ends.
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It was a day like any other. Hanataro had been assigned to cleaning certain parts of the streets of trash and debris, a routine task. On those streets, of course, were a bunch eleventh squad ruffians who wanted to pick on the smaller man, beat him and toss him to the side when his begging to be left alone wasn't as much fun as when they had started, an everyday occurrence. But Hanataro understood, at least passingly, that life was mostly a routine - dull and grubby, but routine was what could keep one going. Waiting for inspiration instead of moving could leave him on a corner, expecting a parade that was already a mile down the street. So he accepted what was given to him day in and day out, and looked forward to positive change when it wasn't possible, and accepted negative change when it came.
That wasn't to say he was apathetic, though. The seventh seat would have loved to get something done about the brutes in the eleventh division, not only for himself, but for his friends that also were constantly hurt by the bullying, but who to file a complaint to? Captain Unohana had already tried to contact Captain Zaraki several times about the issue, but it was never resolved. Hanataro shivered at the very thought of trying to talk to Kenpachi himself. His Lieutenant, while having a guise of extreme cuteness, was short-tempered and dangerous. The third seat was just like his Captain in his temperament and was too scary to even think of confronting. The fourth seat was recently resigned, and even when he was part of the division, he was very egotistical. He'd never help anyone, and the fifth seat, he was. . .
Idea.
Hanataro figured Yumichika was just as convincing as any of his superiors, and the higher seated members weren't much problems to the bullying situation, so those he couldn't control wouldn't matter. All Hanataro had to do was find and convince the the fifth seat and then he'd be in the clear for the rest of his time cleaning the streets. He didn't want to have to pull his zanpakuto around at work to fight those thugs, especially seeing as it hardly helped anyways, as it was unlikely that a severely hurt man would be out prowling, looking for someone to fight.
Once he had finished bandaging his wounds and cleaned up as best as he could, he found his zanpakuto to wear and maybe impress the fifth seat a bit. The eleventh division always wore their swords, and once even their Captain became interested in Hanataro's rather unique zanpakuto. Maybe, Hanataro thought, he could use the fact that Zaraki took interest in him to further his cause.
He'd made it down the street, thinking distractedly about what exactly he could say before he saw the group that had beaten him up earlier, drunk and stumbling over their feet. Wondering how fast they could run in comparison to him while in that condition, Hanataro began to think of an escape route while they still hadn't noticed him. He turned to run and saw, turning on the street he was on (and his most likely escape route), was the third seat Ikkaku Madarame.
For once, he wasn't drunk. He saw the absolute despair in Hanataro's eyes, noticing that he must believe he was trapped between a rock and a hard place. Ikkaku grinned his feral grin that passed beyond his cheeks, and Hanataro felt that he was really doomed. "Hey, you! Didn't Captain say something about you being strong?"
Stammering for words, he wondered if Ikkaku was referring to the time Kenpachi challenged him after seeing his zanpakuto's ability. "I don't think so-" he began, and instantly thought that he would no longer use the story of being challenged to the fifth seat. Ikkaku looked like he wanted to fight because of it.
"Hana-somethin', right?" Ikkaku asked, and Hanataro's legs trembled at hearing Ikkaku vaguely knowing his name. He flash stepped in front of the mob that had scared Hanataro, and spoke loudly to them. Although Hanataro couldn't see the bald man's face, he figured those decorated eyes were glaring daggers. "Back off, and don't ya go botherin' him again."
Ikkaku was helping Hanataro, but that didn't subtract from his scary factor. It really didn't make a difference if he was helping kittens out of trees, he would always have the most frightening demeanor that Hanataro ever saw, outside of the Captain's. Now Hanataro's mind was working even more on overtime, thinking of how to escape from the deadly third seat.
The mob ran away with their tails between their legs and Ikkaku turned to face Hanataro. "Captain Zaraki said you had a real interesting zanpakuto. I've been looking for you."
"Looking for me, no! No, you see, I don't think that-"
"Stop whining when I just saved your ass," Ikkaku said sternly, and Hanataro understood why those eleventh division brutes didn't so much as complain or question when they were sent away. Ikkaku's eyes were enough to send Hanataro running, his voice had a controlling element that was capable of striking fear into anyone who it was directed to, and he had spiritual pressure pouring from him that was nearly suffocating. He was a slightly smaller version of his Captain.
"Sorry," Hanataro mumbled and looked down. His eyes immediately shot back up when he heard the unsheathing of Ikkaku's sword. "Wait-"
"I didn't save you to be ordered around."
"My zanpakuto isn't powerful, honestly, and I'm not strong enough to fight you so-"
"I know that, but you're going to demonstrate the Shikai that got my Captain interested, got that?" Ikkaku's voice made it clear there was no more room for protesting from the smaller man.
"I got injured and I can't fight," Hanataro continued, more afraid of fighting the bloodthirsty man than anything else at the moment. Whether or not he was being truthful about the extents of his injuries was the least of his concerns now.
"So, you'll fight me when your injuries heal?"
"Well, I guess if it's not to the death-"
"Don't be stupid. I'd wind up in Maggot's Nest for killing a fourth division member. Specially one who leads a relief squad," Ikkaku rolled his eyes. Hanataro was honestly rather surprised that Ikkaku would know his status. "Anyways, it's no fun fighting someone who's hurt. Who were you fighting earlier?"
Hanataro stuttered. He wasn't sure if Ikkaku would take offense if he accused the eleventh squad, even if his words were true. Then add that they were a bunch of peons to Ikkaku, and that made him look even worse. But there was nothing for Hanataro to do but tell the truth now that he dug his hole. "Well, it was that group that you sent away."
"Hm, figures," he shrugged. "Next time turn them into mince meat."
"I couldn't do that!"
"Why?"
"Because!"
"Fine, I'll handle them, then. If you get hurt again then I'll have to wait longer to fight you," Ikkaku started to walk away, clearly done with the conversation. As much as Hanataro was glad to be rid of him, seeing as his entire demeanor discouraged so much as one word out of turn, he still wanted to ask a question.
"What do you mean, you'll handle them?"
Ikkaku turned and scratched his nose in thought. He just said he would take care of it, he wasn't sure how quite yet. "Well, I guess I'll tell them they have to go through me to get to you. They won't even approach a single member of your squad with that threat out there."
Maybe, Hanataro thought, going to Ikkaku wasn't such a bad idea in the first place. The luck of having Ikkaku there at the moment he was needed was close to a miracle, but regardless, he seemed to be the right guy to have on your side. Until of course, it was time to fight, but Hanataro pushed that out of his mind for the time being. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it," Ikkaku said and walked off.
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