This story just came along and bit me when I was least expecting it so I thought I should write it before I go revise for a science GCSE test (ugh, Biology and Physics)…

Disclaimer: I don't own bleach… damn!

Oh, and this story happens before the story starts, so Rukia is still in the seireitei and Ichigo isn't a Shinigami yet.

Pognophobia

"Kuso." Kenpachi muttered as he turned another corner. His sense of direction was awful and he was completely lost. He usually had Yachiru to help him, but her sense of direction was really nothing to go by. Giving up on ever finding his way out of the maze that seireitei was, he punched his way through a wall, and stopped to think a moment while stroking his beard thoughtfully.

Kenpachi was proud of his beard. It had taken him 2 months to grow and it was, in his opinion, an amazing beard. It was the only beard he had ever grown, and even kyoraku taicho, one of his regular drinking buddies, had proclaimed it a beard to be jealous of.

His squad had laughed when they had seen it, causing him to destroy half of his squad's barracks. And Yachiru had cried and ran away. That was why he was searching the seireitei. For a lost lieutenant, not that she was much use anyway.

Punching through another wall, he found himself back at what was left of the squad 11 barracks.

"Back so soon, Beardy-taicho?" Ikkaku, his third seat mocked.

"Your beard isn't even beautiful." Yumichika proclaimed. Ignoring these two comments, Kenpachi sat and combed his beard. He wasn't vain, it was his pride and joy and he thought the least he could do was make it presentable. Yumichika and ikkaku continued to comment while he ran his comb through the coarse black hair sprouting out of his chin. He had taken enough comments now. Standing up and hurling his comb at ikkaku, he yelled.

"Just because you can't grow a beard, Baldie! And pretty-boy, I would like to see you try and grow a nicer beard!" he stormed out of the barracks, knowing exactly where he could find Yachiru.

Running towards where the fuku-taicho meeting was being held, he thought of a bribe to get Yachiru to come back. Candy. It always worked. Whatever the situation, candy always worked. Bursting into the meeting, he was met by silence, and then Yachiru shrieked, and dived to hide behind Kuchiki Taicho. What was he doing at the fuku-taicho meeting anyways? And why was Yachiru hiding again?

"Yachiru!" He bellowed, almost deafening Kira and Nemu, the two fuku-taicho nearest to him. "I have Candy!"

"Candy?" questioned a small voice. Yachiru was peeping out from behind Byakuya.

"Yes," Kenpachi. "But you have to tell me why you ran away, and promise never to do it EVER AGAIN!"

"I'll tell Nanao, my bestest friend!" Yachiru said. Nanao looked displeased with this new term she had been given, but walked over to Yachiru who began to whisper to her.

Nanao stood up. "Zaraki Taicho, it appears that Yachiru is afraid of your beard." Byakuya burst out laughing. It was such an odd sound for him to make as he rarely laughed, let alone smiled. The fuku-taichos began to snigger, apart from Renji who looked mortified at the fact that his captain had laughed.

"Oh. Well, what do you want me to do about it?" Kenpachi asked, knowing what the answer would be.

"Shaving it would be the best method of action" Nanao said. "Please do it. Yachiru might stop following me around then." He knew there was nothing else he could do.

Kenpachi was full of regrets. It had been two weeks since he had shaved his beard off and he missed it. His chin felt cold and he had missed having something to stroke, to make him look like he was actually thinking clever thoughts, not just the barbaric ones that usually ran through his blood-thirsty, violent mind.

But, what was a beard when you could trade it for an annoying, bubblegum pink haired girl, who looked up to you like a father. Really there was no contest. He would rather have Yachiru any day.

This is my first published story, guys

I would love to make it a mini series of drabbles about irrational fears, so tell me about any more fears you would like to see written about.

Doumo arigato gozaimasu, Hanabi xx

Remember, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM is welcomed here, no flames please 