21. Whistle

It takes a great deal to make Starrk angry. Normally, he's a pretty laid back guy, renowned for his lazy attitude. However, in every evolved arrancar resides the base predatory nature of a primal hollow. Those aggressive instincts might be buried deeply (more deeply in Starrk than in most), but they're still there somewhere.

The only thing absolutely guaranteed to rouse 'the monster within' is danger to Lilynette, but that is a rare occurrence: her reiatsu signature is the same as his and her scent is likewise marked. As such, it is impossible for another hollow to not know who she 'belongs' to. NOBODY, not even Aizen, is willing to provoke the primera on purpose.

For a very long time, Starrk thought that was the only thing that could raise his ire.

Then Aizen showed up, and with him came the bane of Starrk's afterlife: Gin Ichimaru.

Apparently there was a shinigami back in Seireitei who Gin had never managed to get a rise out of with his pranks. The other captain was too old, too savvy, and too laid back to respond with anything other than good-natured amusement or a return prank. As a result, Gin's attempts became more and more elaborate and destructive until Aizen had to instruct him to keep it down, in order to avoid drawing attention. Ichimaru never got a reaction, and he blamed it on the fact that he was forced to restrain himself.

According to him, the next logical step was to find someone similar to the other captain and prove he could get a reaction from them.

And then he met Starrk.

The silver-haired menace promptly decided on the primera as his new target, and made it his mission to get a rise out of the arrancar. This turned out to be easier said than done because if Shunsui Kyoraku considers laziness a way of life, then Starrk elevates it to an art form.

Starrk quickly became aware of Gin's mission but, frankly, didn't care. He easily avoided the booby traps (although the tripwires in his sleeping chamber were annoying), doesn't care how he looks (Lilynette got a good laugh out of the sharpie writing on his face and the food-dyed clothes, though), and reiatsu traps broke in his presence. Even when Gin managed to 'get him', Starrk didn't react because he thought it was a waste of time. None of it was more than moderately annoying; he suffered worse from Lilynette's 'wake up calls'.

Then Gin pulled out the big guns.

At first, Starrk has no idea what is going on. He is sleeping peacefully when a horrible, piercing shriek rends the air. Instinctively, he lets out a startled howl and jumps out of bed, shaking his head and clamping his hands over his ears. The noise was so loud that his ears ring for almost a half hour afterwards. Once he pulls his hands away (cautiously) everything is silent again.

But the same thing happens the next day, when he tries to take his mid-morning nap. And again that night, for his evening nap. Nobody else hears anything, and there doesn't seem to be any explanation.

After three days of unexplained high pitched screeching and whistling, Starrk is surly and his figurative hackles are raised. He is more than ready to eviscerate whoever is responsible for his lack of sleep.

It is then that he encounters Gin.

The shinigami greets him with an (unfortunately) characteristic: "Aw, is da puppy haven' trouble sleepin'?"

When Starrk literally growls in response, Gin laughs out loud and his smirk grows …suspiciously…wider.

Then, the primera understands.

In a flash, he has the silver haired man pinned to the wall by the neck.

"What. Did. You. Do."

"Nothin'!"

Starrk is on the verge of baring his teeth and charging a cero when they are interrupted.

"Ahem."

"Ey, Taicho!" Gin smirks.

Starrk freezes, growl dying in his throat as the almost-threatening presence behind him comes closer.

"Starrk-san? Is there a reason you are attacking my subordinate?"

For a long moment, Starrk considers complaining and demanding Aizen get Gin to stop. However, that sounds petty and is far beneath his dignity. Not to mention, the powerful ex-shinigami is unlikely to care.

"…No, Aizen-sama."

Reluctantly, he releases the grinning man and steps back to the middle of the hallway. Irritated but resigned, he notes that Aizen has already dismissed the occurrence and is preparing to move on. However, when he's in line with Gin, he pauses to glance closely at a piece of jewelry around his second's neck. After a moment of realization, he shakes his head in mild amusement.

"Gin, please desist with the dog whistle. My primera needs his rest."

"Aww…" But the younger shinigami draws the necklace up over his head and holds it, along with the silver whistle it bares, out to Starrk. Suspicious, the arrancar draws closer slowly but before he can grab the chain, Gin draws his arm back over his head and throws the whistle to the other end of the hallway.

Starrk glares at him and is met with another slit-eyed smile.

"Go on, fetch!"

The primera stares at him incredulously, and then shifts his gaze almost pleadingly to Aizen, but the other man only looks patient and inscrutable, as always. There is no assistance to be had there; Gin always comes before the arrancar in culpability, even when he is at fault.

Humiliated and angry, Starrk sonido's to the end of the hall, grabs the charm, and vanishes back to his bedroom, pretending not to hear Gin's bark of laughter at his back.

He isn't interested in getting even (revenge isn't his style) but he keeps a weather eye on the shinigami from then on.

And if occasionally the silver-haired trickster finds his shampoo mixed with pink hair dye, or his uniforms switched with Grimmjow's, there is no proof of the primera's involvement.

I'm back!

Sorry for the absence; I'm not sure my RL responsibilities are resolved yet but I have some time for writing this week. And something's better than nothing, right? Even if this chapter isn't my best. Actually, I hate it, but it's been through enough re-writes that I think it's as good as it's going to get. I've been experimenting with tenses, due to some recent nasty critiques on my writing style, and different characters, because this story is beginning to feel repetitive.

Speaking of which, does anyone have any good Starrk-centric fic recommendations? I seem to be losing inspiration, and there are only so many times I can read his part in the manga, watch the espada fights in the anime, and watch the limited number of Starrk AMVs on youtube. That's not much material to work with, even for one of my favorite characters. I'm hoping to continue this fic for a while longer, but if I can't find the will to write, it might meet an early end (although I will make sure to finish all of the prompts that I accepted).

Hm...what else...? Oh! Last week's installment in the 'Thousand Year Blood War' (or whatever Kubo's calling the Quincy!arc) was...I don't even KNOW. Personally, I feel that the series ended with the completion of the Arrancar arc, but I've been keeping up to date with the major plot points and the Unohana/Yachiru/Kenpachi revelations of this chapter were startling, to say the least. Sorry Shunsui and Squad 0, but your parts just didn't have that same shock factor.

It's beginning to feel like Kubo's either gone insane, or has been kidnapped by rabid fans who are forcing him to make their crack theories canon.

Please Read and Review!