Kiku could feel Ikkaku's lowered reiatsu, she burst out of the relief station and rushed to find him. She didn't even try to detect the Ryoka. For all she knew, she might've passed them.
It was a long run but when she reached Ikkaku, he was on the ground, struggling to get up.
"Ikkaku!"
He looked behind him.
"Kiku-chan."
She crouched to the side of him.
"What have you gotten yourself into?"
His eyes nervously inspected her face. Her cheeks were flushed from running fast and her eyes were darting to check his injuries.
"Forgive me. I lost."
She carefully moved him so his back was against her chest.
His face heated as she moved her hands. One rested on his right arm and the other on his chest.
"Thank goodness you had the ointment...they're deep."
Ikkaku could feel her body shaking.
"I thought...I thought you died. For a few seconds, I couldn't feel your reiatsu."
His wounds didn't ache as much. He leaned back more and rested his face in her neck.
In his mind, he had no idea what made him do it. It just felt right, her being so close to him. It always did.
"Kiku...will you...sing for me? I need to rest but-"
She giggled and gently sang a lullaby.
Ikkaku hated how his heart wrenched in his chest when Ichigo called Kiku cute. He hated how he was so furious when the boy had used the special styptic Kiku made for him. He hated how he didn't understand what Ichigo meant.
--------------------
Once Ikkaku was asleep, Kiku finished a temporary treatment on his wounds before carrying him to the relief station. When she arrived, she saw Yumichika there...with an interesting hairdo.
"Chika...what happened?"
"Don't say anything!" he yelled before two 4th Company members carried him to a room.
Kiku set Ikkaku down in another room and gently brushed her fingertips on his cheek.
He leaned into her touch.
She blushed and pulled over a seat.
At first, she merely idolized Ikkaku. He was one of the strongest men in the strongest Company in the entire Soul Society.
As she got to know him more and more, it turned into adoration.
When she realized her feelings changed drastically, she tried to hide it. Pretended not to be amazed by everything was able to accomplish.
When she started to fall in love with him, she tried dating other guys to keep her mind busy.
None of them were like Ikkaku. None of them were right for her.
Captain Unohana noticed Kiku's sudden desire to be dating and was surprised to find out Kiku's feelings for the 11th Company's Assistant Adjutant. She wasn't upset but suggested dating so many other men wasn't a good idea.
------------------------
When Ikkaku woke up hours later, he saw his favorite food laid out on a tray. However, next to that tray was Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the Captain of Squad 12, and his Assistant Captain, Nemu.
"Young Kiku must have a soft spot for you, Madarame. Or do all nurses sit at men's bedsides?"
Ikkaku never liked the way Captain Kurotsuchi spoke of Kiku. He hated the woman and it was obvious.
No doubt she's looking for a Captain to help.
"So you returned after being defeated by a Ryoka. Tell me. What did they look like?"
"I don't know."
Kurotsuchi growled.
"Is that so? What were they like?"
Ikkaku stayed silent.
The Captain pulled out something that whizzed passed his ear and struck the wall, creating a large hole.
"So...do you refuse to speak?"
Ikkaku kept his eyes away.
One of the nurses came in to try and break up the fight.
"Captain Kurotsuchi, this kind of post-combat interrigation is against the rules of the relief station!"
"Shut up!" he yelled blasting a hole by the nurse.
"Mayuri..." Nemu said calmly.
"You too, Nemu! Or I'll cut you to pieces again!"
"Forgive me, sir."
Ikkaku sighed.
"Its not that I refuse to speak. I just don't know anything. I don't know what the Ryoka's plans are or where they are headed. I never heard the Ryoka speak nor did I see their face."
"So what you're telling me is that even though you met and fought against these mysterious invaders in the streets, you were defeated and retreated like a dog without a shred of information?"
"I'm afraid so. Battle is sometimes like that. I'm afraid I have no information to give you."
Kurotsuchi's hand twitched.
"You lie. Now you'll recieve punishment appropriate to your behavior!"
When Kurotsuchi was about to strike Ikkaku, his hand was captured by Captain Kenpachi Zaraki.
"Interesting. Since when are you allowed to punish members of Squads other than your own?"
"Z-Zaraki," Kurotsuchi said angrily.
He pulled his hand away.
"If his Captain is here, there's no reason for me to continue this interrogation any further. Come, Nemu. Hurry up!"
The two left and Ikkaku eased up.
Ikkaku looked up at the man he admired.
"Captain."
"Well, you certainly gotten yourself beaten up."
"Nice of you to visit."
Yachiru appeared behind Zaraki's shoulder.
"We didn't plan to. Kiki found us and asked us to come."
"K-Kiku?" he said with a nervous tone.
"Yeah. So how're you feeling, Baldy?"
"I asked you not to call me that."
Captain Zaraki was quickly bored with the conversation.
"So you were defeated by the intruders?"
"Yes. I'm ashamed to say it but I was beaten and then allowed to live."
"Is he good?"
"Yes. Very. He appears to be a Soul Reaper, has short orange hair, and carries a sword as long as his body. By now, he is heading for the Repentenance Cell. Wherever you find him, you will surely have a decent battle. He is strong and getting stronger still."
Zaraki chuckled.
"Excellent. And his name?"
"Ichigo Kurosaki."
Yachiru yawned and jumped down. She headed over to the tray of food.
"Assistant Captain! Thats mine!"
"Kiki's food is so good."
When she reached for a piece of cake, Ikkaku bolted up. He groaned in pain.
"Please. Thats mine."
Zaraki chuckled.
"Defensive about people touching anything handled by Miss Kiku."
Ikkaku blushed.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't try and hide it. If Kiku's around, you change completely. She could put a smile on your face faster than Kyoraku with sake."
Ikkaku looked up at his Captain.
"Master...I'm confused. I have known Kiku-chan for years. Just recently, I've been feeling...different. People are saying things about the way I act that I don't understand."
Yachiru laughed.
"Baldy and Kiki in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
Ikkaku turned bright red.
"Hey!"
"You see? Its nothing to be completely bashful about. Sure, she's in Squad 4 but we won't hold it against you."
Yachiru jumped back on the Captain's back.
"Let's go, Yachiru."