Chapter 10: Always Been Friends
*I'm starting a new job and I'm super excited about it! Scatter-BRAIN-95, I'm glad you liked that scene. I've been wanting to write that for ages. I know, right? What was the point to all this Aizen? And join the club that Ichihime pairing came out of nowhere. As far as I'm concerned Bleach ended after Aizen was defeated (okay maybe after Rukia came back).
Please review. I don't own Bleach, just the OCs. *
"Sleep well Naoko?" Yumichika asked as he sat down across from her at the dining table.
The Quincy paused in her decimation of a full plate of eggs, toast, and what most would consider an unhealthy amount of bacon, but Naoko saw it as necessary. Bacon could fix virtually any problem and coping with her mother's new status was proving to be a problem necessitating an extra helping of the crispy meat.
"You'll clog your arteries and your pores if you keep eating food like that," he pointedly eyeballed the bacon.
She gave him a flat mien, "Bacon is one of my few pleasures, I will not let you deny me that." She swallowed, "And yes I did sleep well, even after that little bombshell the chibi dropped on me."
"In our defense, we thought you knew," Ikkaku said. He had the cheek to grab a slice of bacon off Naoko's plate before she could stab him with her chopsticks.
Naoko growled and pulled her plate closer, "Well it's not like we talk every day. How did she become a captain anyway? Why?"
Yumichika sipped his tea and answered, "From what Captain Zaraki told us Captain Unohana was insistent on your mother as a candidate and there are especially few people willing to go against her or her judgement."
The teen meditatively nibbled a slice of bacon, "Okay, sounds like this Unohana carries a lot of influence in the Gotei."
"She does," Ikkaku supplied. "She's the second oldest captain in the Gotei and can be downright terrifying when she wants to be… even if she is from the Fourth."
"Be nice Ikkaku," Yumichika lightly scolded.
"Something wrong with the Fourth?" Naoko asked. Her mother had been part of that Division and she felt a strange need to defend them because of that association.
The Third Seat snorted, "Not really, except the Fourth is the least respected Division in the Gotei. Typically, because of how weak they are."
"They're not exactly the strongest on the battlefield," Yumichika agreed.
Before Naoko could let go a rebut her grandmother appeared. The serene dame was clothed in a light-weight pastel yukata with her silver hair braided down her shoulder. The hairstyle made Naoko lightly frown, not since it didn't suit her guardian since there was little that did not appear lovely on her in Naoko's opinion. It was that Setsuna wore her hair like that when reaching up to put her hair in a bun was too painful because of her arthritis.
A sign of her age and growing frailty that made Naoko uneasy.
"Naoko, you and the gentlemen appear to have a guest waiting outside that would like to talk to you."
The trio at the table exchanged glances hoping to see some sign of recognition in the others face. Seeing nothing they rose from the table and stepped outside to notice Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto, in gigais, casually standing in her front yard.
"Captain Hitsugaya? Matsumoto? What are you doing here?" Yumichika asked.
The beaming, buxom blond nudged her captain who sighed and rolled his eyes. Dressed in a black polo and jeans Hitsugaya could pass for an average kid the white hair notwithstanding. One also wouldn't peg him as a secret pervert, no matter how much Yumichika said otherwise.
He crossed his arms over his chest, "My lieutenant believes some leisure time would benefit us all."
She eagerly nodded, "Yeah, what with everyone training and the Arrancar attacking I thought we could use a nice break to relax and recharge."
"You're just looking for an excuse to go shopping," the pint-sized boy grumbled.
She playfully gasped and tossed her hair, "Captain, I never need an excuse to go shopping. So, you guys want to come?"
"No thanks, I'd rather babysit the lieutenant at her worst then do that," Ikkaku said firmly.
Naoko was about to agree, but her grandmother cut in, "Perhaps you should go Naoko. You could certainly use some new clothes."
The teen squawked and whirled around at the kindly smirking elder, "I do not! There's nothing wrong with the clothes I have now!"
Setsuna rolled her eyes, "Oh please dear, looking at you one would think you were trying to impersonate a penguin or a panda. There's nothing wrong with a little color and style."
Yumichika surveyed the young Ishida over, "She does have a point Naoko. I agree you'd look lovely in blue or perhaps something brighter like orange or yellow."
Naoko cringed at the image of wearing such an eyesore of a color. Seriously what was wrong with black and white? Everything went with those colors besides, there were no other colors she looked good in.
Matsumoto clapped her hands, "Great! Let's go!"
This had to qualify for some level as torture. Perhaps torture was a bit much, but the experience was still mighty unpleasant. Clothes shopping was not something Naoko had ever enjoyed since she found it asinine, pointless, and wearisome. There was nothing wrong with the clothes she already had, they fit and had no holes or tears. Why did she need any more?
But apparently, no one else shared her sense of practicality and she had been dragged to the first store in the mall and shoved into a dressing room. It took Matsumoto and the traitor Yumichika little time to find clothes and throw them in with Naoko.
She daintily held out an ocean blue blouse as though it would rear up and bit her. "Do I have to?"
"Naoko, I'm sure it'll be lovely on you. Now try it on with those gray jeans," Yumichika coaxed.
She sighed and proceeded to remove her clothing. Slipping the blouse over her head and her legs in the jeans she ripped the door open and stalked over to where the trio of Reapers were waiting.
"Happy now?" She growled.
Matsumoto smiled and Yumichika smirked slightly, "Turn around and you tell us."
The Quincy did and paused at the sight. The blouse hugged her chest and waist in a pleasant highlighting manner while the short gauzy sleeves swung as she turned. Her eyes traveled down to the flare cut gray jeans. Pants were not something Naoko wore often as she felt they were too constricting, but these jeans felt nothing like that.
The outfit did look lovely and she felt…pretty.
'Pretty' was a word she would never have considered using to describe herself. Items used to enhance one's appearance like clothes, jewelry, and makeup were frivolities that Naoko couldn't comprehend why people would spend so much money on. However, inspecting herself she was starting to understand.
Matsumoto giggled, "C'mon admit it you like it, don't you?"
Naoko scrutinized her reflection up and down, "I guess it isn't that bad." She plucked at the blouse, "Though the shirt is a bit impractical and too fancy for me."
"Fancy? What are you talking about? Plenty of people would consider that blouse as plain," the flamboyant blonde complained.
"I guess I'm not like most people then," Naoko said with casual defiance.
Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, Yumichika smiled, and Matsumoto lightly huffed. She seized the young girl's wrist and dragged her back to the dressing room, "Come on, I want to see you in that orange sweater I picked out."
Naoko groaned, but allowed herself to be pulled along having realized that there was little she could do in stopping the woman.
The smile on Yumichika's face remained even after the ladies disappeared into the changing room. He had been right about Naoko looking lovely in that outfit, in fact, he was more than right. The blouse made her natural figure more obvious than the looser shirts she normally wore. And those pants… those pants accentuated the lean curves of her toned legs.
However, it wasn't just the clothes he noticed, but the effect they had on her. A dawning expression of realization in her eyes when she gazed at her reflection. It was the visage of someone who realized some truth about themselves.
His smile softened and an odd blush rose to his cheeks.
"Don't get so attached to her Ayasegawa."
Hitsugaya's soft, commanding tone popped the bubble of pleasant emotions in Yumichika. He turned to observe the boy captain giving him a hard expression.
Yumichika cleared his throat and waved his hand, "I have no idea what you are talking about Captain Hitsugaya."
He scoffed, "I'm not stupid. I see the way you look at her. For your sake, I hope your feelings for her don't grow to anything beyond friendship," he then muttered, "and even that's too far."
Irritation prickled at Yumichika's heart, "There's nothing wrong with making friends with those who are different."
The two men stared at each other before Hitsugaya broke away and shrugged. "Fine, if she hurts you you'll only have yourself to blame."
"I appreciate your concern over my wellbeing," the Fifth Seat said dryly.
There was nothing for him to be concerned about. Naoko was only a friend, a valuable friend who was kind enough to open her home, to offer an ear to his problems, and guard his deepest secret. But that was what friends did for each other, it didn't mean anything more was or even could happen between them.
Matsumoto came out towing Naoko, now dressed in a pumpkin orange sweater and chocolate brown pants, and positioned her in front of the mirrors.
"There! You look surprisingly attractive in fall colors," the older woman said with her hands on her hips, appearing pleased.
Naoko gave herself a once over, "I prefer winter colors myself, but I suppose this is acceptable. Are we done now?"
"Acceptable? You are hard to please," The blonde pouted. "Shopping is supposed to be fun, how are you not having fun?"
The Quincy plucked at the sweater, "Shopping for clothes isn't really my thing."
Yumichika stepped up, "Is there some place you want to shop at?"
"The bookstore," Naoko said without hesitation. "And a shoe store."
"The bookstore I can understand. Any time you're not training or sleeping, I spy you reading." Then that last sentence caught him, "Shoes? You won't shop for clothes, but you'll shop for shoes?"
Personally, she'd rather wear her black flats, they were wondrously versatile shoes, and nothing else. No, Naoko shopped for shoes the same way someone would shop for produce at a farmer's market. It might be a side effect of shifting into a dog since some traits of that animal bled had into her human self. That was the only explanation she had as to why she loved the taste of leather, the satisfying sound of stitches ripping, and the feel of teeth tearing into the fabric.
Dining on foot ware was only done when she was a dog, though there were times she caught herself absent-mindedly chewing on a piece of shoe as a human.
"Well… shoes make the girl," she hastily improvised with a smile.
Matsumoto nodded sagely, "She has a point. The right pair can do wonders for a girl's image and confidence."
Yumichika didn't seem entirely sold on her answer, but still accepted it while Hitsugaya apparently didn't give a rat's tail for her reasoning.
"What are we waiting for then? I saw this adorable shoe boutique we passed by earlier. There were a pair of beautiful heels in the window that I imagine would look great on you," the blond gushed.
Naoko's smile twitched at hearing that and had the feeling that she just traded one set of chains for another in the form of shoes.
Naoko sat down on the hard wood bench and patted the paper bag of newly bought books sitting at her feet. Shopping for clothes and shoes might be tedious and maddening, but book shopping was something Naoko could do all day. Walking up and down aisles of towering bookcases crammed with books of every genre and subject never ceased to give her joy and peace.
"You certainly look happier now," Yumichika said as he took a seat beside her.
She smiled at him, "I am now that I've got what I want."
"That's good, you looked like you were going to stab Matsumoto with a stiletto heel," he joked, though his assessment wasn't too far off the mark.
The Quincy had reached her limit and luckily Yumichika saw that and gently guided (read: dragged away) her out of the store and to the nearest bookseller. The trip hadn't been entirely fruitless and she had walked away with a new set of boots that she might not actually chew up later. Not to mention the new books she procured from her venture into her store of choice, she'd ought to make room on her bookcase.
Naoko and Yumichika watched Matsumoto flit from shelf to shelf like a bee in a blooming garden with her eyes catching sight at all the shoes while an exasperated Hitsugaya futilely tried to stop her. It was an amusing sight to witness a small boy try to stop a full-grown woman.
Realizing they had a moment alone together Naoko spoke, "Hey, Yumichika?"
The Soul Reaper directed his gaze from his friends to her. Naoko clasped her hands together in her lap and bit her lip, "I wanted to ask… and I know this might be pitiful and ridiculous to ask but… are we friends?"
The question sounded so much more pathetic when said out loud and Naoko tried not to cringe. She watched him blink in surprise and waited for him to respond.
"Well, I thought that it was obvious that we are," he said slowly.
Sheepishly shrugging the Quincy explained, "As sad as it is to admit I don't have much experience in making friends."
Being homeschooled had its disadvantages such as not being exposed to other people her age. Also, not joining any sports teams or clubs didn't help matters. A semi-solitary existence suited her, it was what she had grown up with, she was a lone wolf. Nevertheless, even wolves needed companions at times. Sure, she had her grandmother and those at the Urahara Shop, but she still felt the need to expand her pack.
Yumichika reassurance stunned her, "You and I are friends Naoko and Ikkaku is included in that too. So is Yachiru I think."
"Really?" She hadn't assumed her brief time with the little girl lieutenant would be enough for them to become friends.
"She gave you a nickname, didn't she?" The Quincy nodded. "She only does that for people she considers her friends."
She mulled that thought over and a smile slowly bloomed on her face. I guess I do have more friends after all.
*Yeah, this was a fluff filled break from what was going on. We will return to our regularly scheduled plot next time on Aug 25th. *
