Inspired by: "Ex Lover's Lover" - Voltaire

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The day was such an ugly day. Yumichika didn't have words for it. The sun shone brightly and harshly on everything. Shadows were small this time of day, the light seemed to invade into every crevice, pouring around any and everything like water.

As everything else in the combat division, the quarters in which everyone stayed were a little different than what the other divisions offered. The rooms themselves were slightly larger than standards for the rest of the divisions, the extra room being used to hold display cases for multiple weapons everyone in the division spent time practicing with so they could be adept at countering. The extra room also came in handy as the men in the eleventh division often required larger beds due to their excessive and muscly bulk. The rooms were all located in one large building next to the training dojo, as it was constantly in use by members of the division. Even the windows were different, albeit not completely noticeable. The windows where higher set then usual, and very thin as if they belonged to a fortress and not sleeping quarters. The last modification, Yumichika found amusing. It was so perfectly tailored for a division full of drunks who didn't care to see the outside world, or want to be bothered with anything beyond fighting and training. The Captain seemed to really be looking out for the members of his division with all the custom tailoring to their home away from home.

Yumichika normally appreciated the place, even found it quite beautiful in it's uniqueness. He didn't find very many things beautiful when it came to buildings, he found most were bulky and ridged. Ugly beyond belief. Not when he stayed, though. Certain modifications, although hardly improving the outward look of the structure, made everything seem overall beautiful, standing out as something worth admiration.

Yumichika was so angry though, he left his love of the place in the dirt, he could just demolish the whole building, and every member of the division in a loud fit as easily as anything else. He couldn't see straight, he couldn't even think at all. He was lucky to remember his own name, but that was about the only thing he could recall besides what was making him mad. The person who had made him this way, a certain red headed lieutenant swept into his life as a figure that he only hardly noticed before. He was loudly and obnoxiously pronounced in almost everything now. Yumichika wanted to just rip the fiery red headed bastard into bits and throw him in an open body of water.

Of course, he didn't do that. Backing up a little, Yumichika thought that really it wasn't the red head that was making him angry, it was Ikkaku, who had cut the failed relationship between himself and Yumichika off before it could hurt either of them too badly. The only thing fueling the damnable thing was lust, and after awhile the passion leaves and one of them was inevitably going to leave. Yumichika didn't think it would've worked out in the first place, but he felt so oddly possessive over his ex that now he was seeing other people, Yumichika wanted to rip out his own hair in a fit of furry.

Renji and Ikkaku. There's a pair no one would've ever thought possible. Even the wildest imagination couldn't have pictured those two hooking up, but they were so happy together. Ikkaku didn't even go out and drink all the time anymore, and he smiled a real smile every now and then since he began dating the fiery lieutenant. It was so rare to see him smile. Yumichika didn't even know Renji was gay.

It didn't matter, it wasn't fair. Yumichika wanted to make Ikkaku smile, and if he couldn't be the one like that in his life, then no one should. Yumichika's the one who has been by his side since their early days in Rukongai, he's the one who always protected Ikkaku when he didn't even realize. Why couldn't he be the one who makes him smile? Why does he need someone else?

Yumichika didn't need anyone else. If he had to, he'd live in a world with no one else but Ikkaku. Maybe that would drive him a little batty, but he'd do it just to keep the Ikkaku from ever being with anyone else. Even if they didn't share a romantic thought between them. Ikkaku belonged to Yumichika whether he knew it or not, and that wasn't about to change because of some hot head who transferred out of the eleventh, into the sixth division. Someone who couldn't handle the combat division, all of the sudden could handle Ikkaku?

That was simply unacceptable to Yumichika. He could barely eat lunch around Renji anymore without his stomach lurching at those thoughts. Yumichika was the one who had been working hard for an unnameable amount of time to keep Ikkaku. After all the work he'd done, some drop out of the division comes in out of damn near no where and takes Ikkaku? That was unacceptable. It couldn't and wouldn't be allowed.

He couldn't quite kill Renji though. Not only did he want to continue as an active member of the Soul Reaper community, he also wanted to keep Ikkaku in his grasp, not scare him away. If need be, he would go and capture Ikkaku no matter what it took, but that's not a beautiful way to handle the situation. He'd restrain himself from killing Renji for as long as he felt himself able. He wanted Ikkaku to be with him willingly anyways.

There would be a tinge of extravagance to conceal his hate from now on when talking to Renji, which happened on a semi-often basis now. That was okay. Suffering through such things was his struggle. Yumichika was lonely. He'd find a way to break the relationship no matter what, though.

Was it sadistic, Yumichika began to wonder when his obsession began over Ikkaku and Renji, to hate seeing Ikkaku be happy with someone else? He didn't know if it was wrong, or rather he didn't care if it was sadistic in the first place. He killed for a living as a Soul Reaper, was simply delighted when allowed to kill someone in cold blood, lived only to feel the rush of battle. Everyone was in the eleventh division for their reasons. Yumichika's was that it happened to be extremely common in the group of killing machines, to be a sadist.

Cleaning his apartment earlier in the day, Yumichika had found a beautiful calligraphy set he used to obtain endless enjoyment from. He'd been playing around and writing his thoughts on some parchment paper all morning, using the liquid light to his advantage, despite how harshly it shone on everything, taking away some of the beauty from the sapphire ink being used.

So far, he'd written precious little so far. Can't kill anyone unless he couldn't find any other way. Maybe if he was creative, he could arrange Renji's death without being imprisoned, but besides some bemusement of his own strange thoughts throughout the day, he put nothing else onto the parchment. The day was ugly, maybe that was what upset him to the point he couldn't plan. He needed something, a set of steps to make himself become Ikkaku's only option. He needed to knock Renji out of the game completely. If he didn't find something to write, something to say, he really would end up ripping out his own hair.

"Why is this so difficult?" He mumbled to himself, breaking the wooden brush unintentionally with a fierce grip. "This shouldn't even be hard. I'm one thousand times smarter than Ikkaku, why can't I think of something?"

A light rapping came at the door, which nearly made Yumichika jump out of his chair. He crumbled the useless paper and threw it away, along with the broken brush. Once he'd disposed of the incriminating material, he flattened his unruly hair that he neglected to even brush that day, and said with the calmest voice manageable; "It's not locked."

Ikkaku walked in smiling brightly. It was so strange to see a smile painted across his face unless it was fueled by murderous intent. He looked strange, but not wholly unpleasant. Yumichika simply loved when he smiled like he was.

"Guess what, Yumichika?"

"What?"

"I'm thinking of applying for a captain's position, and having Renji become my lieutenant. How great would that be?"

Yumichika's heart dropped. "But, you said you wanted to live and die under Captain Zaraki's leadership."

"Who the hell am I trying to please like that? I'm loyal to Captain no matter what, but living without goals is something that he hates. Why would I go against his own beliefs instead of try to move up and do something. Having the same title as him isn't going to change the fact that I'm never going to be his equal, but it will change how everyone treats me. A third seat going to a Captain just like that is pretty much unheard of, isn't it?"

Yumichika frowned. It wasn't something he did intentionally, but the very idea of Renji changing who Ikkaku was and had decided to be was nauseating in and of itself. Besides, if he didn't seem upset about something like this, Ikkaku would instantly assume he was up to something. He always supported Ikkaku's decision to live under Kenpachi's leadership. "Are you so happy about leaving the division?"

"Well, kinda. Not really happy to leave, but I never even wanted to be a captain before. I thought I'd be alone without anyone to support me, like Captain would be if it wasn't for us a Yachiru. You know, me and Captain have about the same attitude, and no one wants to back people like us. Renji's been telling me I really should. I don't know, I probably never would've given it a lot of thought without him, since I was content to live in the eleventh division as third seat forever, but why would I hold myself back?"

"Because you lost to captain and wanted to live under him, because he's a great man and you have goals as you are."

"Why are you acting this way? You never vetoed something I really wanted to do before."

Yumichika bit his lip. He would've never even begun to resemble someone who was alright with Ikkaku's decision. He wanted Ikkaku to stay in the eleventh division and had always thought he wouldn't change his mind about such a thing in the first place. He was so loyal to their Captain that it could even be scary. It took awhile to take in Ikkaku's words that contradicted everything he used to be so passionate about.

Finally, Yumichika brushed his hair behind his ear and regained his calm composure. "Don't be stupid. I'm not acting any strange way or vetoing anything, you simply surprised me. I mean, for so many years, we've known each other and you've always been devoted to Captain, no matter what. Seeing you want promote was just a little, well, I thought it was a little unusual for you to aim for something like that."

Ikkaku smiled, somewhat assured that Yumichika was only surprised and not really against the decision. "What do you think?"

it was so awful to be made to make decisions right away, not having time to comb through everything appropriately with an eye for details. On one hand, Ikkaku becoming a Captain would possible make separating him from the red head much easier, framing Renji for taking advantage over his lover's position at the top. However, if Ikkaku was leading his own division, it would make him more popular among people and maybe attract more leeches that would cater to him because of his power.

To maintain a perfect mask of calm, against even such a close friend as Ikkaku, Yumichika walked to his vanity he had put in his room. He begun to brush through his silky raven hair. Even though it hadn't been gone through at all that day with a brush, it was easy enough to get through what few knots did appear. "I can't say anything right away, you know. I've never even thought of you becoming a Captain because you said you didn't want to. Maybe it would be good for you, but then again, if you miss being an officer of this division, you can't just change back to your comfort zone."

"I guess I didn't think of it that way."

"You know, I actually believe that Renji is bad for you."

"What did you just say?" Ikkaku's voice was laced with blatant annoyance. Yumichika realized he could have definitely handled those words with more grace. He wasn't really thinking when he said it so bluntly.

"Please, don't misunderstand," Yumichika said turning from his mirror to look his friend in the eyes, hoping sincerely that he wouldn't be caught for making up stories on a whim. "I am only saying, is Renji concerned with you when he tells you to become a Captain, or does he want something from it?"

"Something from it?"

"He wants to be strong enough to beat Captain Kuchiki," Yumichika turned back to his mirror so he could continue brushing through his silky hair and also to hide any amusement or emotion towards the conversation. "Surely, having a Captain on his side every step of the way could bring him good fortune in his quest."

"You think he would do something like that?" Yumichika was the only person in the world Ikkaku could even fathom listening to about something like this. Yumichika thought things through before he spoke, and very rarely did he give bad advice.

"No, honestly," Yumichika began, trying to word everything perfectly. "Renji is a good fighter, and I like him. But isn't it true people with motives reject a lot of things they might have felt important if they weren't pursuing their dreams? I think Renji wants to beat Captain Kuchiki so badly that he would put you in a tight spot."

"I hate saying this, to you especially, but you might actually be right. All Renji talks about is his Captain, and how badly he wants to win against him. I'm going to go talk to him."

"Ikkaku, don't be too harsh, it may just be me being protective of you that made me say such things," Yumichika warned with a slight smile he passed off as friendly affection, though more than anything, he was impressed with him own work at fooling someone he's been close with for longer than either of them could remember.

"Right, I'll be careful. Damn, if you're right, I'm just gonna cut out dating for awhile. I'm so sick people, you know? They lie and always do shit like this."

Yumichika nodded as Ikkaku walked out the door to confront his boyfriend on the fictitious story invented on a whim by the beauty. Surely, this would be a more beautiful in it's unfolding than a murder.

Even if it didn't happen in a story book way, where Ikkaku would come back to him in tears, upset over the ruined love, and Yumichika would shower him with affections, it would be enough. Ikkaku belonged to no one but him. He belonged to no one but Ikkaku. There are no and or ifs when it comes to that unwritten rule. Yumichika would protect it to the death.

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