Ikkaku hummed a tuneless melody as he sauntered down the path back from the bathhouse. The aches and pains that continued to plague the man had been unbearable this morning, his body crying out for relief, and the hot water had done him a world of good. Though he would have to stop by the fourth to have the few bandages he still wore re-wrapped, it would give him a chance to check on Hana. The little healer had been gone by the time Ikkaku woke up, but he wasn't worried. Hanataro was usually up with the sun and the fighter was certain he could be found at the hospital. A grin plastered itself firmly on the man's lips as he walked, thinking about the night before. They were finally in a good place. Ikkaku couldn't have asked for more.
"Well," a sultry voice cooed from behind the third seat, "Aren't we in fair spirits this morning." Yumichika flounced up to his friend, taking his arm as they went. "I havent seen a grin like that since the lieutenant discovered candy." Ikkaku laughed, then winced and held his side.
"Ya know Yumi, I'd feel like a million bucks if I din't feel like shit." He flashed his friend another grin. "I'm still on the mend, but yer right, life is good." Yumichika narrowed his eyes at the man, causing his feathers to twitch.
"Did you... you did!" He nudged his friend, eyes growing wide as the other's cheeks tipped towards red. "I knew the two of you would work things out." He leaned in closer, eyebrows peaked. "So, how was it?" Ikkaku gave the beauty a shove, the smile never leaving his face.
"Ah," he sighed happily, "So good, Yumi, by Kami was it good." Yumichika nodded. "Better than the first time?" Ikkaku's smile wavered. His eyes narrowed and he stammered.
"Oh, well, I wouldn't say..."
"I knew it." The beauty interrupted, turning on his companion. "Hanataro told me that day that he'd been attacked. I knew nothing had happened between you yet, it was too soon! This child isn't even yours."
"The hell it ain't!" The bald man's face was set, serious once more. "Those son's o' bitches aint got no claim on this kid, Yumi, none! Maybe I aint been the one that started all this, but there aint no one's got more of a claim to bein the father o this kid then I do 'cept maybe Hana, but he can't be cause he's the mom." He jabbed his friend in the chest to accentuate the point, causing the man to take a step back as he mumbled, "Which I'm still tryin'a wrap my head around... Whole thing's so damn confused..." Yumichika frowned at his friend.
"So you're just going to accept this then? Take responsability for a child who isn't really yours?" Ikkaku shrugged.
"What else can I do, Yumi? It's Hana's kid, even if it's not mine. He don't want anyone knowin' what really happened, so someone's gotta step up." He sighed again, deeply. "Besides, I love him, an' that's enough. Tha's got to be enough." Yumichika's face was lined with worry. They both could feel it coming, the talk they'd had before.
"What about the family thing?" Ikkaku turned away.
"What about it."
"It's been... an issue before." Yumichika chose his words carefully, but it still cut into his friend. "You've left others over this. For even mentioning they might want one some day."
"Ya think I don' realize that, Baka."
"Ikkaku..." The bald man's scowl was back full force as his glare interrupted the fifth seat. He'd said it before and there was no point saying it again. He was not father material. His father had not been father material, and Kami, Ikkaku knew he was the image of the man. Mean, selfish, drunk... He shook his head as though to clear the dark thoughts.
"Look," His voice had dropped, quiet as a whisper like it always was when the two spoke of unspoken things, "I aint sayin' I'll be any good at it. I aint sayin' Hana wont tell me ta take a hike once he realizes what he's in for. I aint expectin I wont have turned out just like that twisted fuck-up of a sumbitch I had ta deal with growin up." He squared his gaze with his companion, this man who knew him better than anyone, this friend who could always see right through him.
"All I know is, this time I gotta try." Yumichika nodded, a simple drop of the head. His features cleared and he draped one hand on his friend's broad shoulder.
"For what it's worth, Ikkaku," The beauty cooed, "I think you'll make a fantastic father."
"Well," He quipped, his frown fading but still present as he headed off to the health centre, "at least I had a great example o' what not ta do."

Hanataro sat in the hallway of the health centre, waiting for Isane to be through with her morning rounds. He had been finnished with his checkup for an hour or more already, but was reluctant to leave. The churning in his stomach was partly due to morning sickness, but underneath lay the seed that had plagued him all night. Back at his appartment, only an empty room waited for him and returning to it was a grimm prospect. The alternative, however, was returning to a no doubt still sleeping Madarame, a much more nerve wracking idea. And so he sat waiting for the silver haired girl as she flitted in and out of patient's rooms, tending to her daily chores.
"I'm almost done Hana," She reasured her waiting friend as she rushed past for the dozenth time, "I'll have a few minutes for you after this next one." Hana started to reply but again she was gone, leaving him to shuffle his feet and pick at his fingernails. Normally he didn't mind the wait. Just as he never minded the mind-numbing work of the maintenence squad, he'd always found a simple pleasure in the art of patience. But not today. Hanataro's mind raced, his thoughts circling endlessly around, a sea of worry and discontent over one little word. One simple word, and the happiness he'd felt had faded into uncertainty, overthinking, he knew, what was most likely an off-handed comment by a sleep-riddled mind. Only, what if it wasn't?
The healer shut his eyes tight, fighting the waves of nausea that washed over him. He was getting himself worked up, and for what? He needed to calm down. He needed to think things through. He needed to talk to Isane.
A moment later when the fourth squad Lieutennant plunked down beside the small healer with a smile, it was all Hana could do not to bombard her with his thoughts and fears. So when she ased him how he was it all came spilling out.
"Do you really think he loves me?" The girl looked surprised for a moment, but a smile brushed her features as the man spoke a mile a minute while she waited. "...And you said he loves me and I don't think I really believed it, but now I don't know what to believe and if he loves me then I don't know what to do with that, and..." Hana trailed off, his eyes damp. He jabbed at them harshly with the palms of his hands. "Did you mean it Isane?" The girl gently took the healer's hands away from his eyes, wiping the tears away in a softer fashion.
"Hana," She reasured him, "When I spoke to him, I was certain he loved you. I'm sure now that it hasn't changed. You just have to give him some time to come to terms with everything and I'm sure the two of you will be right as rain again." Hana blushed, turning away.
"Oh, no, Lieutennant, we sort of made up already." He could see the confusion on her face and continued. "We talked yesterday and it's fine, it's just..." Hanataro could feel his heart beating in his ears, louder than he thought healthy. "He told me he loves me." The biggest grin crossed Isane's face.
"Well that's wonderful, isn't it?" Hana winced.
"I suppose. If he's telling the truth." Hanataro shook his head. "I just don't know if I can believe it. It's so soon, Isane! We haven't even really been close all that long." He rubbed his baby bump, "Unexpected pregnancies aside, I really don't know what he sees in me. I mean, the man is this huge, strong, brave fighter who could have anyone, but he chooses me? It's just strange."
"It isn't that strange," but Hanataro wasn't really listening.
"Besides, I've been here before. Same old song, right? They say they love you, that they can't live without you, then they turn around and rip your heart out, all of it lies. Last time it ended with that Hollow..." A hand went absentmindedly to his shoulder. "I hope it isn't lies this time, Isane. Do you think..?" He didn't know how to continue the question, but felt he didn't need to. His big blue eyes latched on to hers, begging.
"Oh Hana." She smiled reasuringly. "The other day when I asked him about you," she searched for the words, remembering. "I've never seen that man look more at peace than at that moment." Hana's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to believe.
As his eyes teared up once again, a familliar voice pulled his attention from his lieutennant. "Oi! Hana!" The big man was grinning ear to ear as he sauntered up to the couple sitting in the hall.
"Thought I'd find ya here." He clapped a big hand softly on the healer's shoulder. "Did'ja have a checkup, or..?" His face changed to mild concern as he took in the tears that the other was rubbing away. "Y'all righ'?" Hana nodded feverently, rubbing his eyes even harder as he stammered for a reply.
"Hormones." His lieutennant cut in, "He'll be ok. Just a checkup today." Hana snuck the girl a thankful smile. "Did you come all the way here just to make sure he was alright, Madarame?" The fighter grinned sheepishly.
"Naw, that was part of it, but I gotta get some bandages redone." He put a hand to a tender rib where his skin was still raw and regrowing. "I took 'em all off ta soak a bit. Ached like a bitch this mornin'." At that Hana frowned, worried.
"Are you ok? Did you pull something? Ikkaku, let me see." He was already tugging at the man's belt, fighting the other who was trying to stay dressed.
"I'm alrigh', Hana, I'm alrigh' Baka!" He grabbed the smaller man's wrists to stop him, meeting his eyes to quell the worry. "I'm fine. Just sore s'all." Isane giggled at the sight of Ikkaku nearly being overwhelmed by the much smaller man. She waved them into an empty room.
"Let me get you fixed up then." As soon as the girl had left to get bandages, Hana was all over himself.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He burried his head in his hands, eyes peaking through splayed fingers. "Ikkaku, I'm so sorry!" Ikkaku was shaking his head.
"Fer what, Baka?" He bent to level himself with the other man, his features soft. "Y'ain't done nothin."
"I, we shouldn't have, I didn't think about you being hurt." Ikkaku grinned.
"I coulda said somethin' if I wern't up to it. It's just as much my own fault. Besides," Ikkaku met the man's gaze, taking his hands away from his eyes, "It was worth it."
When Lieutennant Kotetsu opened the door again, She was greeted by the sight of the two pulling apart a bit too quickly, Ikkaku looking pleased and Hanataro turning an increasingly darker shade of red.