Retsu was relieved that Yachiru had recovered. The pink-haired lieutenant was already making life interesting for the Fourth Division members, pouncing on the nurses and trying to convince Captain Unohana that candy was good for recovering shinigami. Yet Retsu was not entirely at peace, and part of the reason was Kenpachi Zaraki.
She ought to be angry at him. He had gone wandering about in her mind without permission, without the least respect for her privacy. She'd nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard him think "Well, that's something we can agree on" in her head. Of course, it wasn't entirely his fault. He wouldn't have been taught about the proper etiquette governing reiatsu links in District 80. But, if she was being truthful with herself, she had to admit that she wasn't really upset about that.
In truth, it disturbed her how much she'd enjoyed linking with Kenpachi. No, with Captain Zaraki, she corrected herself firmly. It had been so many years since she'd been able to drop her barriers for anyone. She needed to maintain appearances for so many reasons. She had to be calm so that others wouldn't panic. She needed to be polite and set a good example for others. In so many ways, she was the mother of the entire Gotei 13, and children don't need to see their parents' weakness.
Yet with Kenpachi…She couldn't help feeling that she could trust him. He would never tell anyone else about her secrets. She laughed at herself. What secrets? That she was angry at Aizen?
Retsu began to wash her dishes. Look at me, she thought, fussing over him as if I were a schoolgirl. Still, his hand felt so nice on her back. No, that was silly. She firmly tried to put the Eleventh Squad captain out of her mind as she braided her hair and went out to face the day.
oOoOoOo
Kenpachi headed for the Fourth Division recovery wing. This was the day Yachiru was due to be released. It was a good thing, because doing paperwork had been deadly boring without his lieutenant's hijinks to break the monotony. The Eleventh Division reports were the only ones which were routinely decorated with crayon before being turned in.
He met Captain Unohana at the desk, who met his eyes with her usual bland smile. Although… was it his imagination, or did she turn slightly pink when she saw him? "I'm here to pick Yachiru up," he said.
"Ken-chan!" A pink cannonball tackled him. "I missed you lots and lots, and Backwards-Braid Lady said I had to stay in my room, and wouldn't let me play with the other doctors, and made me take naps," she said, climbing up onto his shoulder.
"Is that so?" he asked.
"Yep!" she said.
He grinned at Unohana, who seemed to be trying very hard not to laugh. "Look," he said seriously, "thanks for saving Yachiru."
"It was nothing," she said.
"Say, would you like to come to dinner sometime?" he asked. "Just to show I'm grateful, and all."
"I would be honored to accept," she said.
"Great. See you tomorrow at eight, at the main barracks of Squad 11," he said.
As soon as they were away from Squad 4, Yachiru asked, "Is Ken-chan going on a date with Backwards-Braid Lady?"
"Shut up, kid, and focus on getting us home," he said.
oOoOoOo
Retsu couldn't believe that she had accepted an invitation from Kenpachi, of all people. Sure, they were equally ranked, so there wasn't any problem if they did have a relationship, but a date! With the berserker captain, no less. She hadn't accepted a date for more than a century, yet she hadn't even hesitated when Kenpachi asked her.
Suddenly, Retsu realized that she was staring out the door after Kenpachi. She arranged her smile on her face again and turned back to the hospital. Several of her subordinates were watching her with barely-concealed amusement. Wonderful, she sighed internally. Now everyone will know. Well, it can't be helped. She accepted some files from Isane and began the day's work.
oOoOoOo
As soon as the walls of Eleventh Division came into view, Yachiru jumped down from Kenpachi's back. She ran into the building, yelling, "Hey, Pinball-Head! Funny-Brow! Ken-chan has a date!"
Kenpachi rubbed his head. It probably hadn't been a good idea to ask Unohana out in front of Yachiru, but she'd have found out, anyway. He wasn't embarrassed, but he didn't necessarily want everyone to know.
Squaring his shoulders, he walked into his headquarters. "So, you finally managed to find a girl who isn't terrified of you? I must say, I'm impressed," Yumichika said. "Who's the lucky girl?"
"Backwards-Braid Lady," Yachiru supplied.
"Retsu Unohana?" Ikkaku asked. "How in the world did you manage that?"
"Just asked her," Kenpachi said.
"Ha! I win, Yumichika!" Ikkaku crowed. "I told you that girls like tough guys better than girly pretty boys."
"Beginner's luck," Yumichika retorted.
"Look, you two," Kenpachi said uncomfortably. "What exactly do you do on a date?"
Kenpachi had never really found time for women before. Most women were too weak to interest him, anyway. Yoruichi Shihoin had been one hot woman, but everyone knew that she was with Urahara. The only other woman in Soul Society who was even close to being as powerful as him was Soifon, and she annoyed him. But Unohana…she was a pretty impressive lady. And interacting peacefully with a woman was uncharted territory for Kenpachi.
"You should definitely bring her flowers," Yumichika said.
"And candy! Lots of candy!" Yachiru suggested.
"Make sure you compliment her," Ikkaku said.
"But not about anything stupid, like her weight," Yumichika said. "Have you given any thought to where you're taking her?"
"I don't know. I just thought we'd eat dinner in the squad hall," Kenpachi said.
Yumichika clapped his palm over his face. "No, no, no," he said. "What kind of dinner experience would that be? Take her somewhere nice."
"Like where?" growled Kenpachi.
"How about one of the restaurants in District 3?" Ikkaku suggested. "That'll be nice, but not too nice, which will be good, since you should pay for both dinners. Besides, I'm not sure a nice restaurant would let you in. How about the Yellow Poppy?" he said to Yumichika.
"I think that'd do," Yumichika agreed.
"How do I get there?" Kenpachi asked, starting to regret asking for advice.
"I'll draw you a map," Ikkaku said.
"Captain," Yumichika said, "since it is a special occasion, do you want me to do something special for your hair?"
oOoOoOo
It wasn't until after work that Retsu realized that she had no idea where they were going. He'd told her where to meet him, but not what they were doing, so she didn't know how to dress. After some thought, she simply put on a nice, casual robe. She couldn't imagine Kenpachi dressing up, anyway.
Ignoring stares and grins from her subordinates, she began the walk to Eleventh Division. She was not really prepared for the sight which awaited her. Kenpachi was waiting, in his usual black robe, but without his haori. In one hand, he was holding a large and motley bundle of flowers, consisting of everything from dandelions to lilacs. In the other, he had a garishly-decorated bag of what appeared to be candy. But the crowning touch was his hair. Instead of the usual spikes, it was falling loose, except for a braid on each side which was keeping it out of his face.
She tried very hard to keep a straight face, but she couldn't help it. She burst out laughing. Kenpachi irritably muttered, "I told that idiot it looked stupid. Look, I know it's not a great bouquet, but here you go." He shoved the flowers and candy at her unceremoniously.
Wiping her eyes, Retsu accepted them. "Thank you, Captain Zaraki. Let me guess. The candy and the dandelions were Yachiru's contribution. The hair and the rest of the flowers were Mr. Ayasegawa's idea."
"Pretty much," he said, looking embarrassed. "How'd you know?"
"I have treated all of your subordinates at one point or another. One starts to observe certain patterns. Captain Zaraki, I accept these gifts in the spirit they were intended, and I thank you for them. Shall we go?" she said, with a twinkle still in his eye.
"Sure," he said. "And you can just call me Kenpachi."
"Retsu is fine, as well," she said.
oOoOoOo
Kenpachi still couldn't believe that he had let Yumichika fiddle with his hair. But it could've gone a lot worse, all things considered. Now, he just had to find the restaurant. Ikkaku's map was rather vague. It was marked according to landmarks rather than roads: Turn left after the big cedar tree. Like he knew what a cedar was. Besides, there were lots of big trees.
Finally, he got frustrated. He grabbed a passing man and asked, "Hey, you. Do you the Yellow Poppy? It's a restaurant"
The man squirmed miserably, clearly looking for an exit. "Y-yes," he said.
"Well, don't just stutter," Kenpachi barked. "Tell me how to get there."
"Y-you need directions?" the man said.
"Course I need directions!" Kenpachi said. "What would I be talking to a shrimp like you for if I didn't?"
"Go down this s-street for three more blocks, and then take a left. Follow that road for four blocks, and turn right. The Yellow Poppy is the third building," he said.
"Thanks," Kenpachi muttered.
Once they finally go to the restaurant, they were seated almost instantly, even though the place was busy. Unfortunately, the menu was gibberish as far a Kenpachi could tell.
"What does any of this mean?" he asked.
She looked slightly surprised. "They're all fairly common dishes," she said. "What do you eat in Eleventh Division?"
"Whatever's on hand," he said. "We just stick it in the fire for a while and eat it when it looks done."
"Well, is there a particular food you like? Beef, chicken, crab?" she asked.
"Suppose fish is always good," he said.
"All right," she said. "Why don't we try the tempura, then?"
oOoOoOo
Retsu hadn't had so much fun in more than fifty years. The look on that man's face when Kenpachi cornered him was priceless! Well, at least he isn't afraid to ask for directions, she thought. Their food arrived quickly. It didn't surprise her that Kenpachi had absolutely no manners. He ate with his hands, and drank his soup from the bowl, as if it were a cup.
After their meal, they sat in comfortable silence. Finally, Kenpachi said, "Um, you look real nice."
"You are very kind to say so," she said.
"Look, maybe it's none of my business, but what's with the backwards braid? Doesn't it get in your way?" he asked.
Retsu considered simply blowing the question off by saying "I like it," but she decided against it. "When I was first sent to Soul Society, I lived in District 42. Certainly not as rough as some, but not entirely pleasant, either. There was…a man there who wished to court me. I refused him, and he became violent. He stabbed me, here," she said, pointing to her lower neck, by the collarbone.
She closed her eyes. Even after so many centuries, the memory was frightening. The stench of alcohol, and the searing pain of the knife. "It was then that I discovered my talents. I blew him halfway across the field with my reiatsu. I also managed to heal myself well enough that I didn't die of blood loss. I was untrained, though, so it left a scar. The braid is simply a vanity I indulge to hide it."
He nodded, apparently unsurprised. Well, he'd probably seen much worse in his time. "If I may return the question, why the bells?" she asked.
"When Yachiru was little, she was always yanking on my hair," he explained. "Watching the bells gave her something better to do."
"Ah," she said. The waiter brought the bill. Kenpachi paid for them both without comment.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
"Certainly," she said. They walked back side-by-side. The moon was full, and stunningly beautiful. "Kenpachi?" she said.
"Yeah?"
"May I show you something now? In return for this evening?"
"Sure," he said.
She led him up into the foothills of the mountains beyond Rukongai. "I often come here to collect herbs," she explained.
They ran up the mountain, Retsu flash-stepping and Kenpachi running at full bore. When they arrived, they were both laughing. Retsu's braid was loose and he had lost several bells.
"Here," she said. "This is one of my favorite places."
They sat down in a fragrant meadow, carpeted with soft grass and tiny flowers. They looked out over the twinkling lights of Rukongai and the glowing dome which sheltered Seireitei. The moon blazed overhead, and a soft wind rustled around them.
"It's pretty," he said.
"I come up here sometimes, especially after…difficult days. It just looks so peaceful from up here," she said.
"Yeah, you can almost forget about what's really going on," he said.
As the moon set, they walked slowly back to their divisions. When the reached the gates of Eleventh Division, Retsu turned to leave. "Good night, Kenpachi," she said.
"Good night, Retsu."