A/N: This is dedicated to Keryous Seastrider (FF)/PeridotWraith (AO3). She asked me to do this prompt (Crossdressing!Hanataro owns a flower shop that yakuza boss!Kenpachi is dragged into by Yachiru who wants some snacks) for her birthday like a lot of years ago and I started it, lost my progress due to tech errors, and lost my muse, which has what allowed it to sit dormant for so long. I also contorted the original prompt into a whole new demon because I'm crazy (and apparently a masochist) so here is an AU Bleach fic where I'll be using the characters to fit my writing needs and hopefully create something cool with them. Sorry this took so long.
Warnings: language, heavy violence, male on male attraction (but no sex…yet?), minor (meaning not the main ship, not minor as in little) character death. Like seriously though, some fucked up shit happens but I won't say what and ruin the surprise so if you get easily squicked or have triggers I'd advise you not to read this work of fiction.
Chapter 1. The First of Many
Tucked away in the corner of a discreet back street in the Kujaku District of Seireitei, Japan was a small and unobtrusive little shop. The only thing marking it as a business was a bland colored sign above the door that read Ban Garden. The poor little shop went virtually unnoticed due to the bright and extravagant fireworks shop right next door. Most of the flower shop's customers were usually people who stumbled into the shop on accident, thinking it was an extension of the fireworks shop, but the owner of the flower shop didn't mind, actually preferring the shop's inconspicuous nature. The shop was simple on the outside but its interior was a picture of beauty. The large variety of colors, shapes, and smells made the shop bright and inviting and that's what made its regular customers love it so much. Many were saddened because it had so little business when it had so much potential. Many questioned the owner and wondered why he didn't relocate to somewhere where it would get more customers. The owner just smiled a small, shy grin and told them that it was loved and preferred exactly where it was and would remain that way. However the boss of the Kujaku District, the business district, disagreed with the owner. The flower shop wasn't bringing in a large allotment of profits and so he wanted to close the flower shop and sell it to someone who would turn it into something that would complement the fireworks shop better. While the owner of the shop was a somewhat gullible and clumsy person and usually didn't stand up to others due to his shy and kind nature, he was very adamant about his shop and fought with the boss or his lieutenants quite frequently. Today just happened to be one of those very days.
"Yamada-kun, Ban Garden simply isn't bring in enough money to fit the requirements set when we first discussed opening this shop. Compared to the other businesses around here, your shop is practically a nonentity. I have given you two official warnings as of yet and countless of unofficial ones. Though I respect your business and how alluring it is, it just is not equating to the level that the other businesses in this area have set and I will be forced to close it if you do not find a way to increase profits expeditiously." The district boss argued, it wasn't often he had to make a "visit" in person but this particular business owner was quite the finical one when it came to the shop. Byakuya had tried to cut the flower shop owner a break, he really had, but he had quotas to meet and that meant having to make hard decision sometimes.
"Kuchiki-sama, please! The people around here love this place. It brings smiles to the faces of anyone who walks through the door. It's a homey and lively shop set in a place of high end contemporary ones and you're going to lose that feeling of serenity if you close down this shop. This shop does perfectly fine for what it is in the terms of profit. I don't understand why you are so obstinate in the termination of this shop!" Hanataro argued.
"This is my final word Yamada-kun. Increase your profits or I am shutting you down." Byakuya said with finality and with that he swept out the door with his second lieutenant, Hitsugaya Toshiro in tow. Toshiro was not much more than a mere boy but everyone said he was quite the protégé and had risen quickly in rank. Byakuya's first lieutenant however, remained behind and stared at Hanataro for a few long moments before speaking.
"I disagree with Kuchiki-sama. A pretty little lady like you should be able to keep a beautiful shop like this without having to compete and be threatened by larger companies. I do hope you find a way to bring in more money. It would be such a shame for this place to be closed." said Abarai Renji before he too was gone. Hanataro plopped down into the nearest chair and let it head fall into his hands.
"What am I going to do?" He questioned the empty air around him.
"Kenny! Kenny! This way, come on!" A small, pink haired girl whined. She was pulling at the hand of a very large man whose intimidating presence caused most to coward in fear but the pink haired girl knew better.
"I'm comin' ya little rugrat. What's got you so excited anyway?" Kenpachi asked, having long gotten used to her antics.
"I'm hungry and want a snack!" Yachiru exclaimed. Several minutes later Kenpachi was pulled into a small, discreet shop. It wasn't anything special. He probably wouldn't have even noticed it if Yachiru hadn't been pulling him through the door. Immediately the sweet aroma of flowers assaulted his nose, he grimaced.
"Seriously Yachi, you have got to find a different snack. Preferably something that's actually edible, like food." He said.
"But the colorful plants are delicious Kenny!" She exclaimed loudly.
"Stop yelling Yachi. Use your in-door voice." He told her, half wondering if some irate owner was going to come jumping out of the shadows and tell him to take his noisy child out of there. The misunderstanding had happened before and it usually didn't end well for those who made the mistake. Yachiru could be genuinely frightening when she wanted to, though it almost never happened.
"Okay Kenny!" She yelled, causing Kenpachi to sigh. Yachiru ran up to the front counter and jumped onto it, but before Kenpachi could reprimand her, she started pounding on the little bell on the counter.
"Hana! Hana! Do you have any snacks today?" She yelled in the direction of the back room.
"Just give me a second Yachiru." A whimsical voice called back. A few moments later a person appeared from behind the green hanging.
"Ah, here's my favorite customer. Here for your snack Yachiru? You're later than usual."
"Yes please. Yours are always so delicious Hana-chan and we're late because we got lost. I told Kenny to take that left but he took a right and got us lost. We eventually found our way here though." Yachiru giggled.
Kenpachi had been hanging back amongst the flowers and trying to remain unnoticed (he was not hiding by the way) but his curiosity got the best of him and he moved closer to the conversing pair. Yachiru was still sitting on the counter waiting patiently for her snack and behind the counter was probably the prettiest girl Kenpachi had ever seen. That was saying something too as he wasn't a stranger around the Inoshishi District, to say the least. She was small in stature and had soft blue eyes and bluish black hair. The left side had a small clip holding her bangs out of her eyes and her right ear held a small white flower with a hint of yellow at its center. She was wearing a white, lacey tank-top number and light bluish gray, short shorts that made her legs seem to run on for miles. Much to Kenpachi's surprise (and outrage), he felt a small blush heat his face at the site before him. Before he could start to drool, however, the girl grabbed an apron off a hook by the doorway and tugged it on, covering most of her body from Kenpachi's view. He sighed in (disappointment) relief.
"I'm sorry, I didn't noticed you there. Is there anything I can do to help you?" she asked. Kenpachi couldn't answer around the lump in his throat. There were many things she could do to help him, none of which were appropriate for the situation. He was saved from answering by Yachiru.
"Oh, that's Kenny. He's with me but not important at the moment. That's a pretty flower Hana, can I have one?" Yachiru asked.
"Oh this?" She asked fingering the flower in her hair. "This is a Freesia alba, its native to the Republic of South Africa. Pretty isn't it?"
"Yup, very pretty Hana-chan, just like you. Can I have my snack now?" She asked politely but impaciently.
"What do you say?" Hana asked.
"Please!" Yachiru begged.
Hana chuckled. "Well since you asked so nicely Yachiru, a batch of honeysuckle coming right up."
Hana walked around the counter and to a section of the store housing bright yellow flowers and Kenpachi couldn't help but stare at the girl's ass as she walked by and also when she bent over to select a bundle of the flowers, honeysuckle he assumed. It was a nice ass and he never claimed he was an upright man who would otherwise deny themselves the pleasure of looking. He quickly tore his eyes away when she turned back to them and handed Yachiru her "snacks".
"Here you go Yachiru." She smiled sweetly.
Yachiru squealed in excitement and started eating. Kenpachi rolled his eyes at her ludicrous behavior and reached into his pocket to pull out a wad of cash.
"How much do I owe you, uh, Hana-kun?" He asked her. The first words he'd spoken since entering the shop. Hana turned to him and really looked at him for the first time, before smiling widely.
"Oh, my name is actually Hanataro and you don't owe me anything. Yachiru here wondered into my shop a while back and started eating most of the flowers. I eventually convinced her that she could have all the flowers she wanted as long as she asked first and used her manners. I've never charged her anything. I guess I have a thing for pretty ladies." she said, winking at Yachiru. Yachiru laughed and jumped off the counter to run over and jump into Hanataro's waiting arms. She apparently knew Yachiru very well then, Kenpachi concluded.
"See Kenny! Hana-chan gives me these yellow snacks that taste really good! Hana-chan is super nice and pretty too." She stated matter-of-factly.
"That she is." Kenpachi agreed intrepidly. Hanataro blushed deeply and shifted Yachiru to her hip.
"Are you sure there isn't something I can help you with?" Hanataro asked, trying to change the subject before he passed out from all the blood rushing to his head to heat his face.
"Nope, I just wondered where the munchkin was disappearing to during the day and ended up being dragged here by a little pink monster. I now see why she comes here every day. The view is unlike any other." Kenpachi grinned cheekily, unabashedly flirting.
"Hey!" Yachiru exclaimed. "I'm not a monster!"
Hanataro giggled. "You're a very menacing monster Yachiru. If we don't give you what you want then you might eat us like you eat my flowers."
"That's not true!" She argued.
Their playful batter was interrupted by a shrill ringing and Kenpachi realized that it was his cell phone, his work phone to be exact. He grimaced at the interruption and took a few steps away before answering the call.
"What?" He growled.
"Boss we gotta problem."
"Can't you figure it out yourself for once?"
"Um, I think you're going to want to be here for this one Boss. Trust me on this."
"Fine!" Kenpachi exclaimed. "I'm heading that way now." He might have accidentally cracked the screen a bit when he slammed his phone shut, or a lot. Oh well, he could get a new phone later.
"Problems?" Hanataro asked.
"Yeah, there's some troubles at work." He answered tersely. He held out his arms and Yachiru immediately jumped into them and climb around to perch on his shoulder.
"Work?" Hanataro asked.
"Kenny is going to play with the people who threaten the Kaiju District, aren't you Kenny? Because you're the boss, everyone has to listen to you." Yachiru asked trying to be helpful but instead made the situation worse. Kenpachi mentally groaned, damn, now the cats out of the bag...
"Wait...you're Zaraki Kenpachi, boss of the Kaiju District?" Hanataro asked with wide, fearful eyes as she backed away slowly.
Damn it Yachiru! Kenpachi thought. "Yeah." He answered gruffly.
"I'm so sorry Zaraki-sama. I apologize for being so rude. Please forgive me Zaraki-sama." Hanataro stammered as she bowed. "Feel free to have anything from the shop, free of charge."
"Now don't be getting' all formal on me Hanataro. I hate that prestigious shit."
"I'm sorry Zaraki-sama." She said again, bowing once more.
"Now look what you've gone and done Yachiru?" He growled, clearly angry. First he was interrupted by stupid Ikkaku, demanding his presence for some unknown reason, dragging him away from the beautiful lady he'd just met. Then Yachiru had to go and screw everything up further by announcing his identity and scaring the pretty lady away. Everything had started out great only to go to complete shit. What a day.
"Damn it! Never mind, l have to go. See you around some time Hanataro."
"Have a good day Zaraki-sama." Hanataro called after him.
Not fucking likely Kenpachi thought to himself.
"Hanataro!" A crude voice called from the back of his shop. That could only one person.
"In the front Ganju!" He called back. Hanataro stood staring off into space, thinking about a certain dark haired man. The whole situation had been defiantly odd and confusing and had left butterflies in his stomach.
"What's up otouto?" Ganju asked. The older man worked for his sister at Shiba Fireworks right next door and was very protective of his friend. Hanataro was small and far too kind, easy to take advantage of. He needed someone to protect him. Especially since everyone thought he was a girl because of how he dressed.
"You look like you've fell in love. Did a new shipment of flowers arrive?" Ganju teased. He would often find Hanataro waxing soliloquies about his new found love when a fresh batch of flowers would arrive.
"Love?" Hanataro stammered. "I'm not in love. You're just imagining things." He waved his hand dismissively and scurried over to one of the arrangements and started adjusting the flowers almost obsessive compulsively.
"Then what's got your panties in such a twist?" Ganju asked. He crossed his arms and put on his you-better-tell-me-or-else look, Hanataro caved because while he was brave, he was also weak under pressure and lacked overall self-confidence (when it came to anything but his shop).
"I, uh, just had a long and civil conversation with a district boss without knowing he was a district boss until just before he left. He was, um, quite handsome– I mean interesting, he was quite interesting and while he thought I was a girl he didn't treat me like I was some fragile piece of glass or immediately try to get into my pants. Although he did flirt, a lot, I think. It was nice." Hanataro's voice had dulled to a whisper by the time he'd finished talking.
Ganju bellowed out a laugh but that was to hide his unease. None of the district bosses were good news, they were yakuza members, even if they did run the city better than the officials ever could. Everyone knew who really ran the city but played ignorant since it benefited everybody, however it wasn't too wise to get caught up in that kind of mess. Especially for his innocent otouto (and he wasn't kidding when he said innocent). This was Hanataro he was talking about though, he didn't just develop romantic feelings for just anybody being the shy and awkward person he was. Ganju wanted to gauge the playing field before running into battle.
"Well who was the lucky guy that caught my little brother's eye?" Ganju had accepted the fact long ago that Hanataro was interested in men or that he liked to wear woman's clothing. It was just something Hanataro did. He was one of the select few who knew that Hanataro was a boy though, not that he was hiding it or anything. Hanataro just made a very convincing girl and didn't bother to correct those who thought otherwise.
"Um, I don't want to say nii-chan. You'll get mad and over-protective." Hanataro said quietly.
Ganju's faux good mood disappeared then. "Who is it?" He questioned, instantly on guard.
"It's, um, the..." The rest of what was said was whispered and mumbled.
"What'd you say Hanataro?" Ganju asked.
"I said, it was the Kaiju District boss, Zaraki Kenpachi." He said in a rush.
"WHAT!" Ganju screeched, rattling the windows of the shop with his volume.
Kenpachi was not a happy person at that moment. He slammed the door behind him as he walked through it and it shook the whole wall, cracked the doorframe, and made a priceless vase fall to the floor and shatter into a million sparkling pieces. One of the maids appeared out of the shadows and cleaned up the mess without being seen or heard, for she knew her fate if she were to attract the attention of an enraged Zaraki-sama. The rest of the attendants of the house also heard the commotion at the front of the house. The Boss is home, they all thought, and if he isn't on a rampage already, he will be when he finds out what happened. So far they'd held off on calling Tosen and his men. Ikkaku and Yumichika, Kenpachi's first and second lieutenants, were the first people to work up to courage to face the fuming man.
"Now Boss-" they started in unison.
"What the fucking hell was so important for you to call me while I was out!" Kenpachi screamed. The anger radiating off the man was startling. Kenpachi wasn't the type of person to get angry over small things. Whatever he must have been doing before the phone call must have been important, thought the pair.
"Well?" He screeched when they weren't immediately forthcoming with an answer.
"Kenny you need to calm down, now." Yachiru commanded. "Obviously they called for a reason and it must have been important, they'd never call otherwise. They don't want to anger you further when you're like this. Calm down so they can tell you what they have to say." Then she leaned into his ear and whispered.
"Think of Hana-chan, Kenny."
At the thought of Hanataro the anger just seemed to melt off the man, disappearing completely. Ikkaku and Yumichika glanced at each other, wondering just what Yachiru whispered into the Boss's ear to get him so calm so quickly.
"Ikkaku, report." Kenpachi commanded.
"Well sir, I think you just better come see it for yourself. I don't think I can put it to words."
Kenpachi growled in annoyance but followed his lieutenants to where ever they were leading him. The sight he was met with caused him to gasp in surprise and outrage.
Muguruma Kensei, one of Kenpachi's close and personal friends, was dead.
Technically, Kensei was listed as one of the Kaiju District's Big Brothers, though he didn't care to do much of the require paperwork of that position and yet retained that standing because he and Kenpachi were good friends and spar buddies. Everyone knew when Kenpachi was out, Kensei's word was law. The two were really good friends. While Kenpachi liked to fight now and ask questions later, Kensei had integrity like no other and always fought for the justice of people. Kenpachi had even joked that he would do better in the HaeDistrict than he would in the Kaiju District and Kensei had just said that they needed somebody willing and strong enough to keep them all in line. Kenpachi had laughed at Kensei's words, like Kensei could ever be strong enough to keep Kenpachi Zaraki in line, hell nobody could. The two friends were like two sides of the same coin, they complimented each other so completely.
Seeing his friend as he was damn near broke Kenpachi. He turned away from the sight in front of him and puked his stomach's contents right at the shoes of his lieutenants, who just happened to be standing at his right. His lieutenants were shocked so much by his reaction that they didn't even register their soiled shoes. The Boss, the Kaiju's District boss, Kenpachi Zaraki, was puking at their feet. Their boss, the big and bad Zaraki-sama who never lost composure over anything, especially not the sight of something as simple as a dead body, had completely lost it at the sight of his dead friend. Not that they really blamed the guy, they'd done the exact same thing when they'd seen it. The poor servant who'd originally found the body had fainted and was currently awaiting transportation to the Namekuji District, still unconscious.
Kensei's body had been completely mutilated and was laying prone in a large puddle of his own coagulating blood. Tachikaze, the knife he always kept on his person, was still clutched in his left fist showing that he'd tried to fight his attacker, but was unsuccessful. The back of the man's ankles had been slashed to the bone, most likely so he couldn't escape from his attacker. His mouth didn't contained any sort of obstructions nor was his throat slit, meaning that his attacker had known what he was doing. Kensei's rooms were soundproof, something he'd requested as soon as he'd moved in, claiming he had horrifying nightmares that often caused him to wake up screaming, and he didn't want to constantly wake the entire manor due to his affliction. If his attacker had this information then that meant this wasn't just some amateur job. The killer knew to take the man in his rooms where his screams wouldn't have been heard and where the crime would most likely have the greatest emotional impact. Kensei's right hand was completely missing, leaving only a bloody stump in its place. Kenpachi could also see Kensei's small intestine trailing out about 7 feet from his body; he'd been gutted. His whole body had cuts and scratches but all of that combined wasn't even the most gruesome part of the scene before him. Jutting out of the dead man's back and arms were a dozen or so thick cylindrical protrusions. Skin, blood, and muscle were smeared all over the foreign objects, showing any possible viewers they'd obviously been forced into the man's back one by one and most of them probably while he was still alive. The pain must have been unimaginably excruciating considering how thick they were. Blood was smeared all over the walls, some in splatters and some obviously sloppily smeared on like paint, like a child's finger painting. On the east wall, above the bed, was a message written in the blood plastered on there.
He is the first of many. It read. Who will be the next to play?
A/N: Thanks for reading.
