This one does not include any kind of romance. I tend to see Kenpachi and Yachiru as a father-daughter pairing, albeit a very bloody and occasionally disturbing one. The characters may be kind of OOC, but I really don't think that Kenpachi acts exactly the same when he's alone with Yachiru. I just feel like she would have that kind of affect on him.

Kenpachi was sometimes shocked at the things Yachiru could accomplish when she set her mind to it. Somehow she had convinced him to not only come to the beach party, but to actually wear a swimsuit and go in the ocean with her. But then she had disappeared along with a girl with green hair and a personality to match his bubbly lieutenant's. Kenpachi had been left on his own and had spent most of the rest of the day sitting under an umbrella, occasionally attacking Ichigo, being bothered by Yumichika, and watching Yachiru run around.

Now it was nearing dark and the sunset was leaving the last few traces of red and orange in the sky. They had all planned to stay the night on the beach, so Ichigo had purchased logs and kindling from a nearby convenience store and was attempting to start a fire while trying to convince Hinamori to use her Tobiume to speed up the process. Yachiru had disappeared by herself at some point, but he wasn't worried. He knew that she could take care of herself and there really wasn't anything she could get herself into here. But all the same, he decided that he would go look for her. It was getting cooler and she was still in just her swimsuit. He himself had already changed back into his shihakusho, so he gathered up the warm sleeping kimono he had packed for her and set off down the beach.

It seemed she had wandered quite far away, as he walked further and further away from the campsite. Finally he rounded a curve of the beach and found her. There appeared to be a small inlet there, with many small tide pools around it. Each pool had some kind of plant growing in it that was glowing faintly in the fading light. Looking around, Kenpachi was not surprised that Yachiru had ended up here. It was exactly the kind of place that she loved. And there she was, curled up in the sand nearby. Kenpachi sighed when he saw her shivering faintly.

"Oi, Yachiru, you shouldn't be sleeping here." She rolled over when she heard his voice so that she could see him.

"Ken-chan! Look at the water! It's so pretty!" Kenpachi was a little afraid when Yachiru didn't jump right up and climb onto his shoulder when she knew he was there. He was shocked to see that Yachiru's lips were blue and she was shivering more violently now. He quickly sat down on the sand next to her and pulled her into his lap, helping her change into the warm sleeping clothes he had brought for her. Then he stood with his tiny pink-haired charge in his arms, and headed back down the beach back to where everyone was gathered around a now roaring bonfire.

"Ya know, Yachiru, you should've come back when you started getting cold."

"But it was so pretty, Ken-chan. The water was glowing with pretty colors and the stars were so bright and the ocean sounded so nice."

"Don't matter. You're gonna get a cold sittin' out in the cold like that."

"No I won't! Cause I know you'll always come take care of me, so I don't get sick, right Ken-chan?" Kenpachi something under his breath about stupid pink kids assuming things they shouldn't, but when he looked down at his tiny lieutenant and caught a glimpse of the trust in his eyes, he sighed in defeat.

"Yeah, kid. I'll always come take care of ya."

"I knew it, Ken-chan. I love you." Kenpachi started when she said that, but when he looked down, she was already fast asleep in his arms. He walked slower and slower, contemplating his small bundle. Yachiru never said those words very often, probably because Kenpachi never, ever said them. Their relationship was one of unspoken sentiments, things implied in the battles they faced; the way he would always protect her and the way she would always cheer him on and believe he could win.

Sometimes, Kenpachi forgot how much of a child Yachiru still was, despite her bloodthirsty attitude towards battle and her dominating independent streak. She had all of Seireitei at her fingertips, with her ability to sneak into nearly any location and sniff out anything that people tried to hide. But she was also a little girl, who loved candy and glitter and anything pink and still woke up with nightmares sometimes and came to sleep with Kenpachi. And again, Kenpachi was shocked at everything that Yachiru had accomplished since she came into his life. She had given him a purpose beyond just fighting and killing. Now he was a captain of the Gotei 13, someone who had a meaning and something to protect. Looking back at the conversation he had just had with her, he realized that he really did mean those things that he said. He held Yachiru a bit tighter, an actual smile threatening his features when she snuggled up closer to his body heat.

"Don't worry, Yachiru, I'll always come to take care of you, no matter what."