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amostimprobabledream · 4 months ago

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Sink Your Teeth In (Kensei x Reader)

Also available on Ao3!: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61846402

"I'm so sorry I'm late."

The restaurant is a Western-style one and you pause to admire the decor as you hurry in. Outside it's raining and cold, so the warmth inside draws you closer like a magnet. You really don't like these after work meals, the conversation is always so forced and the people who pick the food tend to go for these fancy restaurants that make you feel guilty for even considering the more expensive stuff.

Yasochika Iemura, one of your annoying busybody colleagues, scowls at you.

"You're late!" he scolds, as if you didn't just apologise for that very thing.

"I know, I was on the train, and it stopped for about twenty-five minutes outside the station-" you begin, speaking fast. "I tried to call but I couldn't get any reception-"

"Well, you should have gotten an earlier one in the event of this happening!" he says pompously, waving away your words, as if you're expected to plan for every single conceivably emergency. "We've already ordered the starters. Hurry up and sit down."

You scowl in annoyance as you wander over to the vacant chair, awkwardly maneuvering past other diners who have come as couples or families or friends. Not a bunch of people you have to see all the time if you want to get paid. You exchange a couple of awkward smiles with a few people you know somewhat well - Isane Kotetsu is sitting across from you and looks like she'd been having ear talked off.

"Hi!" an attractive waiter with spiky black hair approaches you, seeing you're the only person without her own drink. "I'm Hisagi, would you like to order anything else?"

"Oh, um, I'll have a cider." you say, a little flustered by how cute he is. "Thank you."

He nods and disappears off to the bar. You turn your attention to the starter in front of you - it's not the kind of thing you'd have ordered for yourself, it's some kind of soup or stew, maybe? But it's gone lukewarm and to be honest, you're not really hungry enough to brave mouthfuls of lukewarm soup. You decide to just leave it alone an idly skim through the menu, but you're still feeling frazzled and irritated from being scolded like an errant teenager and nothing jumps out at you.

Besides, this menu is predictably overpriced. Honestly you'd rather just go home and boil instant noodles than waste money on something off a menu with a dozen ingredients you probably won't even like that much.

When Hisagi returns with your drink, you thank him and he discreetly whisks away the bowl of soup when it becomes clear you're not going to eat it. He asks if you want to order anything else and you politely decline. He looks slightly disappointed, like he'd been hoping you'd ask him for something, but he doesn't bother you about it.

"You really don't want anything?" asks Nanao beside you. "The chef here is supposedly very good. Muguruma, I believe his name is?"

"It's okay, don't worry." you reply vaguely, reaching over and grabbing some bread. "I'm kind of broke right now."

You butter the bread as you listen to people around you gossip about what went on in the big board meeting last week - apparently one of the executives lost it and challenged the other one to a fistfight. You wish you'd seen it yourself, it's very Mad Men.

When the waiter starts bringing everyone's main courses to the table, you have to fight not to gawk at some of the dishes he brings out, but now you feel awkward about suddenly changing your mind. Plus, even though some of it smells amazing, you're still not convinced it's worth splashing out your cash on. Maybe if your stupid train hadn't got stuck and gotten you all stressed out and panicky and you'd arrived with everyone like you were supposed to…

"Do you want to try some of mine?" Isane offers shyly as your waiter from earlier wanders past. You glance down at her food which looks like some kind of chicken salad thing, but there's way too much dressing on it and you crinkle your nose just a fraction.

"I'm fine," you smile tightly at her, nibbling on bread.

At least people are getting drunker and less inclined to comment on your picky eating habits. You even loosen enough to laugh and joke about, mostly when people begin ribbing Yasochika, which is easy to do considering he's such a tightly-wound prig, but then he goes and asks to speak to the Chef.

"What is he doing?" you hiss at Nanao, who looks similarly disapproving. "The Chef's busy, he doesn't want to talk to some pompous ass!"

"Ssh. Though you're right, I don't know why he has to do this whenever we go anywhere." Nanao tuts, and you smirk - woe betide the person who gets on Nanao's bad side.

Soon enough a man in a chef's outfit appears. Your eyes widen at the sight of him. You don't know why but you had an image of a guy with a beard and French accent and flamboyant mannerisms, some cliche off TV that embedded in your brain.

Kensei Muguruma, as his nametag says, is nothing like that. He looks like he's made of brick or steel - solid and tough, with arms that, even with the thick chef's coat, you can tell are toned. For sure he hits the gym, he holds himself like a man who takes care of his body, all straight-backed and solid posture. His arms are folded over his chest as he listens to Yasochika's pandering compliments. His jaw is held tight, and you're admiring the sharpness of it when he lifts his eyes to yours, spotting you watching him.

"Oi. You."

His words cut over Yasochika, who flops back in his seat like a kid.

"Uh…yes?" you say, looking up. And up. Christ, his biceps.

"You haven’t ordered a single thing since you sat down." Kensei barks, in tones of deep condemnation. "And you sent the starter back."

That's not strictly true, you didn't even order the starter, they just took it away when you hadn't touched it. But clearly this guy takes food very seriously. He'd got a thunderous scowl on his face, like he intends on throwing you face-first out of the nearest window. A flicker of irritation that had dimmed down into embers comes back to life at his accusatory tone - you don't know how he knows that (except, perhaps, Hisagi mentioned it in passing), but what does it even matter? You don't appreciate him acting like you've done something wrong.

"Well," you say, with a passive-aggressive smile. "Maybe I'm just not hungry."

His eyebrow twitches, not missing out on the edge to your voice. He leans down and you fight back the urge to lean away from him - you won't let him use his bigger size to intimidate you, even if it is kind of working. For god's sake, you're a customer!

Are you, though? a voice in your head asks. After all, you haven't ordered anything. No transaction has occurred, besides the drink at the bar you bought.

Kensei speaks in a low tone, like his words are meant exclusively for you. He has a nice voice when he's not barking orders at people, low and smooth.

"Yeah? You've been sitting there for nearly three hours while everybody else eats, and you're not hungry at all? Bullshit."

Your eyes widened, surprised and, to be honest, a little titillated that he's speaking to you like that. You assumed that this place with its atmospheric mood lighting and ambient music playing would be too haughty for that kind of language. Evidently Chef Muguruma doesn't care as much as everyone else does about all that. Your thighs press together underneath the mahogany table.

Easy, girl, easy.

"You're just a fussy brat, aren't you?" he says, and your chest heaves with indignation. How dare he?! Especially in front of your colleagues who are totally earwigging!

"Maybe you're just not a good a cook as you think you are." you reply without thinking. Shit, that was rude.

But instead of getting angry like you expected, Kensei smirks and your stomach flipflops. He's even more handsome when he smiles, maybe because it's such a rare thing you feel like you've won something just by catching a glimpse of it.

"Oh yeah?" he says, straightening up. "Fine. Pick something."

He plucks a menu off another table and hands it to you, folding his arms when you take it hesitantly. By now you feel like everyone in the restaurant must be staring at you, but it's Kensei's gaze you return, everyone else fading into background noise. Swallowing, you look down, eyes tracing over the starters, side orders, main course…there are so many options it's a bit overwhelming, but you take your time with it this time, weighing up your choices instead of skimming and dismissing everything offhand. Your eyes land on something and you point to the dish on the menu.

"This one," you say, reading it aloud. "Sole meuniere."

Kensei's eyebrows rise slightly, no doubt expecting you to pick something excessively complicated just to spite him, not a simple dish like this. But he nods and takes the menu back, his eyes on you.

"Don't you move." he says, as if you have anywhere else to go. "I'll be back."

And off he disappears into the kitchen, and you notice the back of his neck is red. Everybody at the table is staring at you and heat crawls up your cheeks. What? You weren't the one who demanded to talk to him!

"What were you thinking!" Yasochika hisses at you, looking mortified. "You can't speak to the chef that way!"

"Stop making a scene, Yasochika." Nanao says, and you could hug her if you weren't already aware she'd hate it. "He asked her to pick something to cook, she picked, he's cooking it. That should be the end of it."

Nanao's words manage to take some of the heat off you and you smile gratefully at her. She simply nods and sips her drink, ever the professional. You should have expected this much, she's used to handling Shunsui on a daily basis. You like the guy, but you can't imagine the willpower takes not to slap him about the head whenever he's sleeping instead of doing paperwork.

Sure enough, after waiting a little while, Kensei reappears and a sizzling pan of fish is presented to you. It smells heavenly, you look over the golden-brown skin of the fish, bubbling still with butter, and you can feel your mouth flooding with saliva. He's right, you are hungry - in fact, you're starving despite the bread you were eating beforehand. You'd just been doing your best to ignore it.

"Well, don't just stare at it." Kensei huffs impatiently. "Get eating."

"You're seriously going to watch?" you ask in a deadpan, but he's apparently determined to get your reaction firsthand. You suppose that's on you for challenging him so openly, so you turn your attention to the piping hot fish in front of you, accompanied by some asparagus that looks nice and fresh.

You grab some of the fish with your fork, which falls apart easily and slowly, take a bite.

Oh, fuck me.

The flavour is soft, sweet and tantalising. You'd expected Kensei to have harsh, strong flavours that fit his personality, but this is like a warm, slow melting together of complementary tastes. Creamy melted butter soaked into the flesh of the fish, and you can taste the tang of salt and parsley. It's not too rich, and the sizzling hot dish wafts steam into your face that makes you salivate as you chew, each bite releasing more buttery goodness. The asparagus that goes great with the fish too - a soft, slightly peppery crunch that doesn't overpower anything.

Kensei's expression would be annoyingly smug, if you weren't enjoying the food so much.

"Good?" he asks, rhetorically. He doesn't need to ask, the look on your face is enough.

"Good." you reply, covering your mouth with your hand, but unable to conceal the growing smile behind it.

A moment lingers between you - more than just a cook and a customer enjoying the creation between you. You'd blame it on the atmosphere or the alcohol you've had, but as you bite into another mouthful of fish, you know what it is. Attraction. He's a damn fine-looking man even buttoned up to the neck as he is - you can only imagine what he looks like when that white coat of his comes off.

With a grunt that might just be covering slight embarrassment, Kensei turns and disappears back into the kitchen, apparently satisfied he's made his point - and, more importantly, given something to the picky eater she actually liked.

You eat every bite of the sole meuniere, licking butter off your lips. It's so good and warm, perfect for filling you up. You won't even mind braving the rainy weather after this. You keep glancing every so often at the kitchen door, longing to look at Kensei one more time, but he's clearly a busy guy and he doesn't reappear all evening.

When it's time to go, you linger a bit so everyone is ahead of you. Hisagi is picking bottles and glasses off the table when he notices you hovering, and gives you a smile.

"Was everything to your liking, miss?"

"It was," you reply with a smile. "Actually, I was wondering if I could ask you for one more thing."

"Certainly!" he says eagerly, and you hand him a napkin.

"Could you give this to the chef? With my compliments." you say, biting your lip slightly, and Hisagi's smile turns into a grin.

"Of course, I'll give it to him when we close tonight. Have a good evening, miss!"

"You too."

You sling on your coat and yank up your hood, hurrying after your colleagues to brave the journey home. Luckily you did remember an umbrella this time. Your heart is pounding even as you leave the restaurant - you're not the type of person to make such a bold move as to give

"I may be picky," you reply, leaning against the counter. "But when I see something I do like, I know it."

"Yeah?" he says and you can picture that cute amused smile of his again. "In that case, meet me after work tomorrow. I’ll make sure you’re satisfied.”

There’s only one answer to that and you grin foolishly as you reply;

“Yes, Chef.”

#Kensei x Reader #Bleach x Reader #Kensei Muguruma #reader insert #Fanfiction

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herofics · 28 days ago

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Ignored, feat Kyoraku Shunsui

A/N: I've got a major Bleach obsession going on (again), so I wanted to write something. Shunsui Kyoraku is one of my current favorites. I'm watching the original series again, so I can watch tybw. GN reader, so they/them. There are so many smut fics already, and I don't really care for writing that, so I wanted something else. This is mostly for me, but it's great if someone else likes it too lol. Reader feeling ignored and finally getting pissed off at Shunsui basically

"Shunsuiiii" you whined.

"This is the last one, I promise"

"You said that like six reports ago" you huffed.

"Won't you wait just a little bit longer my love? I'm almost finished"

"Fine" you scoffed. "I'll see you later, I'm going back to my squad's barracks"

"Just-" Kyoraku started, but you had already slammed to door shut behind you and left.

"My, my" Kyoraku sighed to himself.

He finished looking over the report and signed it. He then put on his hat and went to go after you.

"Captain, you really made them mad this time" Nanao said, as the captain emerged from his quarters.

"Nanao-chan? What might you be doing here this late?"

"You really should go after them instead of worrying about me" the lieutenant sighed, pushing her glasses up. "They were crying"

Kyoraku's brows raised as he heard those words, and before Nanao could even give him a look of disdain, he had disappeared.

You knew he was a captain, you knew he was busy, but for god's sake it felt like he had been totally ignoring you for the last two weeks. You knew you shouldn't cry, your squad mates would think you were weak, but you weren't at the barracks yet, and there wasn't really anyone around at this time of night. You found a secluded dead end and just sat down on a crate, leaning against the wall and looking up at the night sky. Rationally you knew Shunsui cared for you deeply, but damn it really didn't feel like it sometimes.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, that man can really be an idiot" you sniffled.

The stars were beautiful, and the moon was also full, so the night wasn't dark. It would have been a nice night for a little stroll around the Seireitei with your partner, but he clearly wasn't interested in spending time with you. You were well aware you weren't in the position to demand anything from him, but some reciprocity would have been nice. You were always there when he wanted or needed you, but when you were having a hard time, lately he didn't even seem to notice.

You were too preoccupied with being upset, so you didn't notice the two soul reapers that had appeared from around the corner.

"Are you lost little bird?" the blond asked, his face uncomfortably close to yours, the smell of alcohol evident in his breath.

You stood up and tried to move back, but your back was already against the wall, wiping the tears from your cheeks with the sleeve of your uniform in the process.

"I'm not, but you seem to be"

"Aaaw, was the little birdy crying? Do you need us to comfort you?" the other man smirked devilishly as they approached you.

"And what might be going on here? Are these distinguished gentlemen bothering you?" a familiar voice asked from behind the the two soul reapers.

"Huh! Who do you think-" the blond started, but the words died on his lips as he turned to look who stood behind him.

"Hmm?" Kyoraku raised a brow.

His eyes looked incredibly cold as the two soul reapers took a step to the side and bowed to him. You knew the look wasn't directed at you, but it still made you shiver just a little.

"We're sorry, ca-captain Kyoraku" they said in unison, now clearly sobered up from the scare he had caused them.

"Run back to your barracks now, and don't bother anyone else, okay?" he said with a smile. The words he said could have been interpreted as friendly advice, but they sounded threatening, like a warning.

"Yes-yes sir" the drunk idiots answered and turned on their heels, before hurrying off.

"Good grief, some people…" Kyoraku shook his head, watching the two men disappear around the corner. "You really shouldn't suppress your spiritual pressure like that. It makes it such a pain to find you" he turned to you with his signature smirk.

"Why do you think I did it?" you turned your gaze away from him.

"Now, now, my love. I know you're angry with me, but-"

"But what? Hmm, Shunsui? You've been basically ignoring me for weeks, and now you want to act like you're my hero for scaring off a couple of drunk idiots? I could have handled them myself. I didn't ask for your help" you snarled.

"You never need to ask" he said calmly, but there was a serious look in his eyes.

He had clearly missed something. You weren't upset because of some drunken idiots had harassed you, though undoubtedly that hadn't made you feel any better. It was his fault, there was no way around it. He'd made you so upset, you had suppressed your spiritual pressure just to get away from him for a while. It was the only thing he disliked about you, the way you could just disappear from him, even if for just a moment. If it was up to him, you would never be away from him, but you both had your duties and while he wanted to be a part of your life more than anything, he didn't want to interfere with it.

"I feel like I do need to ask, lately you don't even acknowledge me unless I'm bothering you somehow. Sure, you like having me around, but it's like you don't even pay attention to me, not really" you sniffled, finally looking up at him with teary eyes.

It broke his heart to see you like that, it always did and it always would. He absolutely hated when he was the cause of your pain, shouldn't he know better by now? He'd been with you for god knows how long, but sometimes your true feelings still escaped him. You of course didn't make it easy for him either, but that wasn't on purpose, that's just how you were.

"I'm sorry my love, there's nothing I can really say to make this up to you" he shook his head and pulled down the brim of his hat in shame.

"So what are you going to DO about it?" you asked, stepping closer to him, so you could see his eyes from under the brim of his hat.

"Anything you want" he promised with that familiar, gentle look in his eyes.

"Anything?" you asked.

"Well, within reason of course" Kyoraku chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I want… No, I need you to listen to and talk with me"

"That I can do, right now" he smiled, and pulled you closer.

"Good, because I need it, now"

"Well, shall we go then?" Kyoraku asked, before throwing you over his shoulder.

"Are you serious, Shunsui?" you rolled your eyes, but there was a small smile spreading across your lips.

"Aren't I always?"

"Literally never, but believe what you want" you chuckled.

Kyoraku smiled at your playful jab, but he still felt bad about not paying much attention to you lately. He hated that he'd made you like he didn't care, because he did. He cared so much that it made his heart hurt when you were upset. He just hoped he could make it up to you.

#bleach #bleach tybw #shunsui kyoraku #shunsui x reader #bleach x reader #bleach fanfiction #bleach x you #kyoraku shunsui x reader #bleach imagines #bleach scenarios #bleach comfort #bleach angst #bleach shunsui

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aurora-313 · 5 months ago

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Hi there.

I do wish to share a hot about certain events and characters in Bleach.

I don't think Rukia should have been the captain of squad 13. Here me out, she is qualified to be a captain and has bankai. But not for the 13th squad. We didn't see her interact with squad 13 as much as she did with squad six (Renji and Byakuya). The only significant interaction she had was with Kaien who later [redacted] in her hands.

We didn't get to see the relationship between her and Ukitake as captain and lieutenant duo and...generally really. Meanwhile we have seen great relationships with other squads like Shunsui and Nanao, Byakuya and Renji heck even Komamura and Iba had their moments together but not Rukia and Ukitake.

It upsets me as an Ukitake fan that she gets to fully admire the same people who tired to kill her in their first introduction instead of her Captain who not only said fuck you to C46 but also went against the Head captain (whom he has generated respect) to save her life🥲

Plus they didn't even get a flashback moment in tybw anime before Ukitake performed the ritual. One of the reasons I detest tybw. And she even said his line from the manga'we all feel the same way as the court guard' like come on! It would have been an emotional moment if Kubo expanded on their relationship more😤 I prefer to just ignore tybw as a whole sometimes

I apologise for the rant but I don't hate her. I hate the way Kubo handled her character as well as others sometimes. What do you think?

Well. I despise TYBW, period, so you're already starting off on a good foot with me.

I categorically reject its existence in favour of FB functioning as an epilogue and an imagined ending scene where the next year they visit Masaki's grave, Isshin strikes up a conversation with Ichigo, asking "Hey, did I ever tell you how I met your mother?"

I'll just say for the record, you don't need to redact any words, mate. We're all adults here. If one word sends someone into a foaming fit they mash keys incoherently, they have bigger problems than a random stranger on the internet.

Anyways. That aside: I will say I agree with you. To a point. Rukia's arc was about overcoming her own isolation, either self imposed or imposed upon her. EG. her talents with reiatsu in Rukongai isolating her from her adopted siblings, her adoption into nobility, her perceived role as a 'Captain's pet', her guilt from killing Kaien (when you can tell he regained control and threw himself on the blade rather than hurt her, plus her orders to do it.)

Rukia achieving Captaincy is meant to be the thematic conclusion of that arc. Overcoming her isolation to become the leader her division need her to be in the wake of tragedy. We do see it a bit in the story.

Thanks to Ichigo, Rukia was able to form bonds with the humans in Karakura; she was able to rediscover her will to live; she was able to rebuild a bond with Renji (though I'm confused how the fuck her first adopted brother became her husband, or how she forgave him for literally trying to kill her the first time they met in 40 years. Maybe Rukia's got some twisted kinks) and form a proper siblinghood with Byakuya; Rukia was able to look in the face of the man she believed she wronged most (Aaroniero!Kaien) and tell him 'I'm sorry but until I've achieved my goals, I can't give you my life'; she was able to muster the courage to go against Soul Society's laws and spearhead the effort to give Ichigo his powers back, ultimately roping in everyone up to the Yamamoto to help.

As inheritor of Kaien and Ukitake's legacies, captaincy was absolutely in Rukia's future. But to my mind, it should've been an achievement she gained well beyond what the source manga covers. If Bleach was ever cursed with a 'next gen' series, Rukia should be in that line-up. (which, I will concede, she is. But I despise everything to do with TYBW and the epilogue, so I categorically reject its existence.)

I will also agree we absolutely missed out on anything that showed why Ukitake chose Rukia as his new Lieutenant outside nepotism and being Kaien's former student. We saw nothing of their working relationship. We didn't see Rukia coping with the extra duties of being basically pseudo-Captain all the times Ukitake gets laid out due to illness. We don't get to see her working with Kiyone and Sentaro as their superior or any connections with the 13th before she's elected Captain. We're in complete agreement there.

Thematically, its meant to be a triumphant end for her character journey. In practice, screams of nepotism and a desperate need to back fill ranks because everyone is else qualified is dead, exiled or a traitor.

I'll be completely honest with you: The kamikake is bullshit. The whole plot point is bullshit. It positively screams of Kubo realising Ukitake is the golden bullet in the war against the Quincy, given Sogyo no Kotowari's power is literally catching and sending objects back at a foe, empowered several times over (ridiculously overpowered against foes that use exclusively energy projectiles, no?). The whole plot beat is Kubo deciding, "I need this character to die because he's far too broken for this war. How can I justify it? Oh, lets make him a part-Soul King."

TYBW's adaptation is middling to mediocre. I gave the first cour a watch. Not only was I mind-numbingly bored, the amount of character content cut that gave us vital context to character reactions.

My first warning sign was the first episode: 2/3rds of the episode wasted on two plebs we'll never see again. Who really gives a damn about these two idiots? Really. Sure, the manga set them up to be Ichigo's new apprentices. Which would've been a fantastic dynamic. Ichigo's the veteran teaching the impressionable young rookies how to fight and survive (honestly a far better story than what we got) but Kubo quickly punted that idea to the curb and shat all over it, in favour of a war with absolutely no stakes nor reason to care, really.

The death knell for me was the second episode: Ichigo going on patrol after hearing about Sasakibe's funeral.

In the manga, Ishida and Ichigo have a conversation about it where they agree the only reason they were allowed to overhear that phone call - or rather, the only reason the random blebs of the week received that phone call - is because Soul Society was going to tap Ichigo for help. Ichigo went on patrol to calm his nerves because the anxiety of waiting was eating him alive.

Additionally, we had a scene with the Lieutenants discussing the disappearing souls in Rukongai, then promptly freaking out because they thought their comrades had turned traitor (again) and turned their blades on Rukongai residences.

Instead the anime would have us believe Ichigo sad over a guy he'd never officially met died. A guy whose only interaction was Ichigo shattering his entire ribcage to protect Rukia and Renji's escape from Sokyoku hill. And the Lieutenants' investigations/findings are cut entirely.

That told me everything I needed to know about how this adaptation was going to go; relentlessly hacking away anything worth paying attention to, replacing it with meaningless fights, jingling keys, more filler fights, shoehorned ""shipping"" (its not even that, let's be real), infusing boring characters with artificial relevance and pushing a worse narrative than anything the manga provided.

Don't even get me started on the bullshit they've done to the Soul King.

I didn't know how TYBW could get any worse or any more illogical, but congrats Kubo, you've managed to crawl under my expectations.

To sum up: I agree with you to a point. Rukia and Ukitake absolutely should've gotten more scenes together (maybe if Kubo stopped adding characters and built up the ones he already had...), Rukia's Captaincy should've been a future/next gen plot point, and uh, yes. I hate how every character is handled in TYBW.

(You're fine ranting. I've given you a rant in kind so I think we're even. lol)

#rukia kuchiki #jushiro ukitake #bleach #my writing #asks #tybw #anti TYBW

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brittscafe · 1 year ago

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Hi! Britt!! Um I can't remember if I sent this in already, but could you write the lieutenants and what pet names they'd use for their significant other?

awww this is such a cute idea! <3

Renji: Anything and everything. Renji likes to embarrass or make you flustered in public so he comes up with the most embarrassing pet names known to man. Sugar plum, sweet bee, honey bun, etc. He uses babe and baby most often though.

Izuru: Angel. He loves seeing the way you stop in your tracks or get giddy about the pet name. He'll swing an arm around your waist, press a kiss to your cheek and then whisper the pet name into your ear.

Ikkaku: Darling. Only when you two are in private or during imitate moments. When you tell your friends or other people in your squad that Ikkaku calls you darling, they literally burst out laughing. They just find it so hard to believe that a fight-loving man like him could ever use such a pet name.

Chojiro: Sweetheart. I think that he would use this because it's so sweet and kind. He doesn't mind calling you sweetheart in fact of others or he would pull you closer when you're walking in the soul society, gently whispering the pet name in your ear.

Shuhei: Princess. OMGGGGG, sorry I'm blushing. I imagine that when the word princess slips out from Shuhei's mouth, both of you are blushing. Shuhei's blushing more than you and he slaps his hand over his mouth the first time he says it. When he finds out that you like the pet name, he doesn't stop saying it in every sentence. He also will say baby on occasion ;)

Rangiku: Anything and everything to boost your ego. She loves seeing the way your face lights up when she calls you honey, my love, or sweetie.

Momo: Honey. She finds you as sweet as honey and doesn't mind when others hear her call you honey. She's proud and wants everyone to know that you are hers.

Nanao: I think that she doesn't like to use pet names, but she'll whisper one once in awhile. She'll grab onto your wrist, catching your attention and whisper the simple word baby into your ear.

#bleach headcanons #bleachanime #bleach imagines #bleach #bleach anime #bleach x reader #bleach x y/n #bleach x you #abarai renji #renji abarai #bleach shuhei #shuhei hisagi #izuru kira #izuru kira x reader #ikkaku madarame #gin ichimaru #chojiro sasakibe #bleach fluff

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kyokutsu-sama · 1 year ago

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My wife, My everything

"The storm inside him was over, now all that was left was the comfort of being in the arms of his beloved" Tw: Nsfw content, angst/confort Author's note: Soo, I'ts been raining where I live again and it gave me some quitet and a bit of angst vibes. Long live rainy days💙. I written some scenarios like this one and I will post them later (I'm already writing one for Jushiro too).

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It was past midnight and you were still in the bedroom waiting for shunsui but he still hadn't arrived and you were starting to get worried about his delay. He didn't usually take that long to come home unless he had gone somewhere but he used to let you know before he left so you wouldn't be worried, but he hadn't that night. You tried to go to the places where he used to go but no one had seen him. Your heart was only relieved when you went to the first division office and found him with his arms crossed on top of the table and his head in the middle of them hiding his face. You looked at him for a moment and you could see that he wasn't well, the empty drink bottles beside the table also cleared your doubts about what had happened.

"Shunsui? Is everything alright with you?"You crouched down next to him passing your hand over his back trying to get some response out of him

"Did you come to see me Y/n-chan ? I'm sorry for making you worry" His voice sounded like a distant and deep whisper

"It's okay, you were taking so long and since you hadn't said anything I came looking for you. What happened here?"

"Don't worry flower, I was just finishing some things but I already was on my way"He lift his head and looked at you with a sleepy face and a melancholy look

"...finishing some things, he say..." you thought after seeing the empty bottles next to him

"Have you been crying?"You put your hands up to his cheeks as you noticed his slightly dry and red eyes

"No, I'm fine. I probably ended up being careless with the drink again. Nanao will kill me if she finds out that I'm drinking at work" He laughed trying to hide it but you weren't convinced

"Come with me, I'll take you home. You don't look well at all "You tried to help him get up from the chair

He had some difficulty standing up straight so he leaned on you so he could walk straight. You opened the door and walked out with him leaning on you until you got home.

Already after you got home, you took him to the bedroom and sat him on the edge of the bed, you sat down next to him looking at his face that looked so haggard and melancholic. His eyes were blank and his face expressionless, you had never seen him like this before.

"Do you want to tell me what happened to you?"

"I don't want you to be sad Y/n-chan"He looked at you and gave you a slight smile

"I won't, I promise. Please tell me what you're feeling?"

"I'm not feeling good, not good at all. I just wish I had some company to drink with again, like old times"You realized at that moment that he was referring to the loss of his loved ones. "You know, I don't like to cry especially when you're around, a woman as beautiful as you shouldn't carry the pains of a man like me"

"Don’t say that, I promised to stay by your side and help you with these heavy burdens. You don't deserve this, you've been very strong all this time and you need someone by your side to support you and I'm that person, I'm your wife, don't forget about me"You said holding his hands

"I know my flower, but I just don't want you to suffer too, this pain is not something easy to bear"

"I know, but you don't have to keep everything to yourself. It destroys you and leaves you like this, and I don't like seeing you with a sad face. Come here"You pulled him into a hug putting his head next to your chest while you ran your fingers through his brown and wavy strands

You felt his body get lighter after a while, he seemed calmer now and the sparkle in his eyes was slowly returning. You couldn't help but give a little smile after seeing that he were feeling better, even though he was still feeling that pain in his chest. You just wanted to see him smile again

"Are you feeling better now ?"

"Yes, much better. Your chest really works miracles”He said in his usual perverted way

"You really don't change, even though you're suffering you don't miss an opportunity to make one of your jokes" You pushed him away from your chest

"But I'm praising you"

"Praising me? Oh shut up"You slap him on the shoulder and he laughed

You calmed the chaos in his heart and it was you he needed at that moment. Even though he lost a lot of people, life put you in his path with a purpose and that purpose was to help him be strong and smile again.

"Oh my, look at your clothes, take them off"

"Are you trying to start something Y/n?"He gave you a mischievous smile

"No, you just smell like booze and your clothes too"You sighed as you waited for him to take them off

"Fine, I'll do it now"He said starting to undress

You saw him taking off piece after piece and you reached out to take them. When you were turning to go put them in the laundry basket, you felt his hand grab you and turn you towards him to bring his lips together with yours. You were taken by surprise because of the sudden movement, your body fell apart in his arms and you ended up dropping his clothes on the floor. You placed your hands on his face and kissed him back slowly and passionately.

You couldn't tell if he was being overcome by drink or something else but when you looked into his eyes you saw more than just simple desire, you saw need and passion.

"I need you so much my flower"He whispered against your lips

"Shunsui I.."

You wanted to speak but he kissed you again making you forget anything else you were going to say at that moment. You ran your hands along his arms and then over his shoulders to steady yourself as you jumped into his lap. His hands held you and led you to the bed.

"I love you so much...you make me feel like this"He said as he brushed his lips over your neck

Your breathing started getting uneven and your body was starting to heat up. He took off the fabric that was covering your naked body and couldn't help but curl his lips in a smile after seeing the way you looked so perfect and the way you look at him as if you were telling him to continue what he was doing. He felt so good to have you and when he was drinking he didn't hold back especially when you were around him and even when you scolding him for drinking so much, he he thought you were perfect. It wasn't the first time the two of you had been in such a scenario, but it was the first time he'd admitted he wasn't well. He always remained calm and rarely spoke of his sorrows, as he did not want others to suffer too. As his wife, you learn how to read in his eyes what he was feeling, it was difficult at first but over the years you managed to better understand what his good days and his bad days were.

He started to trailed his lips down your neck to your collarbone as he lifted his gaze to meet any expression on your face. He continued to taste your skin until his lips reach between your thighs. The little stubble hairs scratched the skin on the inside of your thigh as he kissed your skin and down to your folds, you felt a shivers as he placed a kiss on your little bud.

He wrapped his arms around your thighs keeping you closer to his face, you moaned when you felt his lips leaving wet kisses on you. You held onto his brown strands as you rubbed your hips lightly against him, your back arched and you rolled your eyes in pleasure. His tongue in you was more than enough for you to feel your body give in to the desire and make you come, your vision was blurry and you could feel small drops of sweat falling down your forehead. Your legs tremble as his touch rushes in and you come moments later.

He leaned over you and kissed you, his lips felt so soft and full of love. You could taste the yourself and the sake he had drunk, you placed your hands on his cheeks as you followed his lips over and over again.

"You make me feel so good"You whispered between the kiss

"No... it's you, it's you that makes me feel good, my dear"He tasted your lips again and again while his hands roamed your body

He moved away from you for a moment so that he could remove the last piece of clothing he had left and he approached you again. He hugged your body close to his to keep you as close as possible so he could feel every corner of you as he filled you slowly. You ran your hands over his back digging your nails in here and there as you moaned his name in his ear and told him not to stop. He kissed your temple and held one of your thighs as he moved in and out of you. He wasn't being too fast or too slow, a balanced and intense pace was what made you arch your back and hold onto his shoulders.

"You are so perfect my dear y/n..."He whispered close to your ear

You felt a little tear poking out of the corner of your eye that was the response to all that emotion and his care for you. He looked at you and wiped it with his thumb and then kissed your forehead.

"I love you so much"You whispered as you felt another tear fall down your eye

He smiled and kissed you, you wrapped your arms around his neck and brought him closer. You needed him like he needed you, it was mutual and unbreakable.

You felt your insides tighten and your legs tremble and that's when you felt it coming.

"Come to me love"He said kissing your neck feeling your fluids drain out

You tipped your head back and moaned his name as you felt him come inside you shortly after. Both eyes met and you could see he looked much better now than before, your love colored his gaze.

"Are you feeling better my love?"You asked

"Yes. Thank you for everything Y/n-chan"He said showing his bright smile

"I love seeing that smile of yours, it makes me so happy too. Don't stop smiling my love"You ran your hand over his face

He held your hand and kissed it and then kissed your lips gently.

"Can I lie down on your chest, again?"He asked smiling at you

"You can, but don't you dare make any jokes of yours"You warned and he laughed

"Don't worry, I'm just going to get some sleep. I think I've had enough for today"

"Yeah, you're right"

He laid his head on your chest and you hugged him as you ran your fingers through his hair. You watched him as he fell asleep and soon after you fell asleep too.

"The storm inside him was over, now all that was left was the comfort of being in the arms of his beloved"

#bleach #bleach fandom #gotei 13 #shunsui kyoraku #bleach imagines #bleach x reader #kyoraku shunsui x reader #smut writing #fluff/confort #angst/comfort #angst with a happy ending

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idontblushsrry · 1 year ago

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Levitating|| Shunsui Kyoraku

Pairing: Shunsui x GN Reader

WC: 1,555

A/N: This started as a writing exercise so that I could get back into the flow of writing again but I like it so I'm posting it. Sorry I've been MIA for like 2 years, I'll be posting on again/off again for a while. Also I changed some of the lyrics of the song, Dua Lipa stans pls don't come for me.

Warnings: None, some swearing?, there's talk of marriage because I feel like the Soul Society doesn't really have "dating"

Shunsui + Levitating

I believe that you're for me, I feel it in our energy // I see us written in the stars

Shunsui knew that he was an old man. It was a notion he never attempted to disavow himself of, finding it to be a pointless endeavour; Besides, he was proud of his age.

With age, comes wisdom, one that he has refined enough to know not to deny the fluttering of his heart whenever he so much as heard your name. For him, it was nothing to be embarrassed about, no matters of the heart were. He would readily admit that it was a bit disorienting. One moment he’d be talking with Nanao and suddenly his breath would be stolen at the slightest hint of your perfume.

You possessed a gift so unique, a hold over him like no other. Being in your presence somehow managed to send him back to his days in the academy, leaving him feeling like nothing more than a lovesick student. You’d set his heart alight and made it seem as though the world was slipping away every time you smiled. Your visage immediately righted any wrongs. He was sure that your laughter could cure any affliction he may be ailed with. To put it simply, Shunsui had found himself utterly enraptured by you and yet, he didn’t mind. The butterflies you’d managed to elicit from him only added to the weightless feeling he’d become stuck with since meeting you.

We can go wherever, so let's do it now or never, baby // Nothing's ever, ever too far

You hadn’t treated Shunsui any different from normal, but it didn’t take a genius to put two and two together. The usually laid-back yet sharp captain suddenly became ditzy and distracted whenever you so much as glanced at him. He was quite obvious, and though he hadn’t quite acted upon his feelings, he’d made it clear where he stood. His schedule as head captain didn’t allow him free time at the best of moments and yet Nanao somehow found herself overencumbered trying to fit ‘Lunch with Y/N <3’ into Shunsui’s schedule.

“I don’t see why you don’t make things official with her. Everyone already knows that you two are sickeningly in love with each other”, Nanao would frequently complain.

Shunsui would always fix her with a look that would make her regret saying anything and reply, “Matters of the heart can’t be rushed.”

If you asked Nanao, it was all arbitrary bullshit. If she voiced that particular complaint however, Shunsui would “remind” her that she’d “understand when you have someone to love”.

Glitter in the sky, glitter in our eyes//Shining just the way we are

“Oh Shunsui, this is lovely.”

As you cooed over the late-night picnic that he set up, he took a moment to examine your features. The curve of your mouth, the slope of your nose, the reverent way your hair framed your face. Everything about you looked lovely as usual, bathed in moonlight however…

He’d give you anything you wanted.

When you looked at him with those eyes, endlessly rich and glittering with the light of the night sky, he couldn’t help but yearn to kiss you. Even just a gentle press against your lips, oh how he’d kiss you so lovingly. He’d hold you so gently and ask if he could have just one more, one more, one more.

Your gaze flickered down to his lips.

He ran his tongue over them and he swore your eyes grew darker.

You placed a tentative hand into his hair, nervous but sure fingers weaving their way into his tresses. He swears then and there that he has never loved his hair more (if only so that there’s more of him for you to touch).

He cups your face with his hand. You lean into his palm and smile. He feels that weightless feeling come back as he leans forward to feel that smile against his skin when--

“Oh Shunsui look! Did you know there were going to be fireworks tonight?”

He did, it’s one of the reasons he planned a date on the rooftop of his home. He wanted you to see the fireworks and he wanted to see the way your skin would look bathed in the multi-colored light. He doesn’t regret the way your face lights up, this time in awe, but he does wish the timing could’ve been a little better.

He supposes the feeling of your body pressed against his is an apt substitute.

I feel like we're forever, every time we get together//But whatever, let's get lost on Mars

It is not long after the night with the fireworks that Shunsui decides that maybe Nanao was right. He found that the temptation of you was far too much for him to bear. He’d been distracted since that night with thoughts of you, driven himself half mad wondering what could’ve been if he’d leaned in a fraction sooner.

It isn’t until he visits your office for a quick cup of tea (something that both you and Nanao have scolded him for) that he has this realization however. You tell him that you don’t have much time to chat, Seireitei Communications is running some special issue from what he can recall, but you’re happy to spend this time with him.

As you get up, telling him he’s free to stay as long as he’d like, “Although, you really should get back to work Shunsui, you’ll stress poor Nanao out”, and leave, he feels a sinking feeling for the first time in relation to you. It all just clicks for him that he wants the feelings he has with you to last forever. He wants a lifetime of levitating, of your joy, of your glittering eyes locked onto him, he wants you for as long as you’ll have him.

He realizes that the fluttering feeling comes back at the mere thought of calling you his spouse.

As he floats back to his office (he isn’t quite sure that his feet ever touch the ground), confusing every person he passes along the way, he places an order for a ring and decides to have a talk with you after things settle down.

Later, when you drop by his office with snacks as a small pick-me-up, you ask him what’s got him so giddy. He merely replies with a look that turns heated the longer he looks at you. It softens at the adorably flustered way you mess with your hair and look away from him. You try your damnedest to avoid making eye contact with him, squirming in such a way that, if he were less of a gentleman he’d pull you close and feel how affected one look made you.

As it stands, he decides he can wait a little longer.

‘You want me, I want you, baby’

After mulling it over, he decides he wants the proposal to be a private affair. The entirety of the Sereitei may know of your feelings for each other but that didn’t mean they needed to see this. He wanted to keep the way that your face-- nightsky eyes glimmering-- would light up to himself. He never considered himself to be a selfish man but he supposed when it came to you, everything became unexpected.

He still remembers the way his stomach, twisted in knots, became miraculously clear when you smiled. He asked if marriage was what you wanted, if it was ok to marry you. All the more reason to keep the proposal private, it’s much harder to reject a public suit from the captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads (you’d still reject him if you wanted regardless, another reason he was nervous).

You looked at him, trying to piece together what he was asking before deciding on your answer. “I’d love to marry you if that’s what you’re asking me Shunsui.” Somehow, your smile grew even larger, he wasn’t sure what his face looked like but he’s sure his grin matched yours.

Just thinking back to that day makes this moment all the more important. In the weeks following that conversation, you’d joked that you’d be eagerly awaiting his next move. He’d welcomed the challenge, stupidly. Now he was standing here fretting over if the grass was green enough, what if you suddenly became allergic to his shampoo-- He hoped that you wouldn’t notice the clamminess of his hands.

Another power that you found yourself ordained with, making the great Head Captain nervous. He could sense your spiritual pressure before you, which made him snap out of ‘panic mode’ into ‘focused commander mode’.

When he saw you, dressed up beautifully, jewels in your braided hair. He relaxed incrementally, this wasn’t a battle to be won, you were the one he loved. He was proposing, all he had to do was speak from the heart (easy) and hope you’d accept (he was sure you would but he was nonsensical at the best of times).

He saw recognition in your eyes, like a loose thread that has finally been tucked back into place. Your eyes tear up as he moves to ask you the question that has plagued his mind for months.

You nearly burst into tears, nodding happily and sealing your engagement with a kiss.

I'm levitating

#x black reader #idontblushsrry #anime imagines #kyoraku shunsui x reader #shunsui x reader #shunsui x black reader #bleach imagine #bleach x reader #bleach imagines

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makomori · 2 months ago

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HOUSE CALLS (Shunsui Kyōraku x OC)

Kotetsu Isane has noticed a sadness in her fourth seat's eyes that only seems to grow. Ise Nanao is also concerned about the shadows that have crossed the Captain-Commander's, well, one eye as of late. On a rare night out, both women share their observations and devise a plan to bring joy—and a bit of trouble—to their unsuspecting colleagues.

Cross-posted on Ao3

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

THREE | CONFESSIONS (4.5k words)

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Breakfast goes smoothly until Shunsui feels the immense well of sorrow buried under Azumi's peaceful reiryoku. Will simple confessions be enough to start easing the burdens carried by these two grieving souls?

No afterlife. No other side. I'm all alone when it fades to black. - Wake me Up | The Weeknd

Nearly killing one of the Gotei’s best healers wasn’t on Shunsui’s agenda today.

Thank the gods Azumi moved out of the way in time. He wasn’t joking—Isane would’ve personally decapitated him if anything happened to her. And for good reason; Azumi’s skills were invaluable and she was loved among the divisions. He had a soft spot for her, too. She made his unscheduled visits at the Fourth rather enjoyable, and Juu’s health improved considerably when she handled his medications.

That made her a friend in his eyes, though she probably wasn’t aware of it.

He winced and steadied himself against the wall when pain once again erupted from his damaged eye socket. It wasn’t as sharp compared to earlier this morning, but it was fucking irritating. And to make things worse, hallucinations of Juu and Yama-jii occasionally danced into his vision. He didn’t need a visual reminder of his greatest losses to accompany the guilt he already carried.

Luckily, the pain didn’t linger this time. He had picked up several kaido spells over the centuries, but none of them helped with his damned eye. Catching his reflection in the mirror, he sighed. Could he even call it an eye? The empty socket was still strange to look at, even after five years. There was—what seemed to him, at least—a gaping hole in his face. He did, however, enjoy wearing the eyepatch. It added a bit of mystery, along with a touch of gloom to his semi-inscrutable persona.

Shunsui dried himself off and grabbed whatever clothes were in the closest proximity to his reach. Hopefully, Azumi would forgive him of any fashion mishaps. He actually planned to go to the Fourth for treatment, but his eye decided to cause a fuss in the middle of the night. Nanao would undoubtedly say it served him right for putting it off as long as he did. Still, he didn’t want to inconvenience anyone that early, so he asked Isane to see him at a more reasonable hour.

He hoped Isane was all right, as this was the first time she declined one of his requests. But he trusted her judgement in sending Azumi. She had become an exceptional healer since they met several centuries ago. Besides, it would be a good chance to catch up and reminisce. With his duties, their last few meetings were official in some capacity. He missed the days where he could freely sneak away to visit the Fourth.

It was Sawamura’s clipped greeting at the door that brought Shunsui back to the present. He sighed and slid the door open, knowing that a lecture was probably coming his way.

“Please refrain from causing any more trouble for Konishi-san.” The valet’s stern tone was accompanied by a huff. “I’m surprised that she’s still willing to help after you nearly killed her.”

Shunsui did his best not to grin, because it was clear the old man had taken a liking to the healer. “Trouble? Me? You shouldn’t accuse the Soutaicho of such a thing.”

Decorum prevented Sawamura from rolling his eyes, but he knew Shunsui wouldn’t have held it against him if he did. Trouble always seemed to find his lord, despite concentrated efforts to avoid it. He exhaled, knowing he could never stay upset at him for long. “Breakfast will be served shortly, Shun.”

“And…I’m sorry about the roof.”

That caused the old valet to finally roll his eyes. “Fear not. I’ll come up with a reasonable excuse for your poor mother.”

“Thank you, Sawamura.” For everything, Shunsui added silently. He depended greatly on the old man, because managing a household wasn’t his greatest strength. Old habits of being a second son weren’t easy to shed.

Thankfully, Azumi was unaware of the thoughts regarding his shortcomings when he opened the door to his private zakshiki. She gifted him with a smile, which was infectious. Her relieved expression combined with the endearing dimple in her left cheek made it difficult to not do anything but return her smile with equal fervor.

“Would you accept breakfast as an apology for almost killing you?”

“That depends.” The healer’s brows knitted together in thought as she considered his question. “Does breakfast include salted salmon and rice?

He grinned, taking a seat across from her at the chabudai. “You just might be in luck. Salted salmon is my cook’s specialty.”

“Then I accept your apology, Soutaicho.”

“I knew you would,” he replied with a chuckle. “But I’m truly sorry. I was so focused on distracting myself from the pain…I didn’t feel your reiryoku until you were on the porch.” Shunsui exhaled in frustration. He couldn’t afford to make such careless mistakes.

“When did the pain start?” Azumi’s gentle question was full of concern. Her attention was suddenly on his right eye, and he felt a gentle swell in her reiyoku as she instinctively tried to to assess his pain from across the table.

“A few months ago—but it was nothing serious.” Shunsui added the last part quickly because Azumi frowned, and he could tell that she was getting ready to soundly reprimand him.

“I suppose I can’t fault you for that,” she conceded after a moment. “I understand you have a high tolerance for pain.”

“I’m told that it’s a blessing and a curse,” he chuckled, recalling that not even the multiple injuries he sustained during his fight with Lille Barro were enough to kill him.

Before the healer could respond, several of his staff politely interrupted by bringing in several dishes for breakfast, which did indeed include rice and salted salmon. He hummed in appreciation when the unmistakeable scent of miso reached his nose. Azumi could barely contain her anticipation as the plates were placed on the table. He grinned at the now-ravenous expression on her face, because food could bring out joy in an individual like no other.

Azumi quickly reached for her chopsticks once they were alone again, but she hesitated and shot him a guilty look. “Soutaicho—”

“Please, Shunsui is fine.” He laughed when her jaw dropped in shock. “We’ve known each other for a long time, Azumi.”

“Well, yes, but you’re—”

“Just a man, at the end of the day.”

One of Azumi’s elegant brows arched, because the strongest shinigami in the Soul Society was anything but ‘just a man’. Shunsui matched her arching brow with one of his own, teasingly daring her to deny his request.

“Oh, all right,” she sighed. “Shunsui, then. But only because no one is around to scold me.”

“There, was that so hard?” He smiled triumphantly while pouring a cup of tea for her. Admittedly, he enjoyed the way his name sounded in her voice’s low and soothing tone.

“But shouldn’t I treat you first?” She asked anxiously. “You’ve been in—”

“Eat, Azumi. A human can hear your stomach growling from the World of the Living.” When she hesitated again, he offered her an encouraging smile. “I promise that my wound isn’t going anywhere.”

She smiled back at him, and he was once again charmed when that dimple appeared in her left cheek. Juu always spoke highly of her, and annoyance tickled the back of his mind at the thought of his friend being showered with Azumi’s dimpled smiles during his treatments. Gods, he must have been feeling especially moody if he felt jealously towards his deceased friend.

Shunsui’s request, though a house call, was still considered official, so Azumi wore the Gotei’s standard Shihakusho uniform. Her long, ink-black hair was neatly wrapped in a low bun. In their centuries of acquaintance, he had only seen the healer wear her hair down on a handful of occasions.

Currently, varied expressions of delight leaped across her heart-shaped face as she dilligently sampled all the breakfast dishes. That reminded him to start eating as well, lest Azumi notice his keen observations. Besides, it was her reiryoku that never failed to capture his attention.

Shunsui couldn’t help but assess the healer’s reiryoku carefully. Control and manipulation of one’s spiritual pressure was expected of all shinigami, but mastering kaido meant that members of the Fourth division had to train harder than the rest of the Gotei. An incapaciated healer would be of no use to their patients.

Most shinigami at the Fourth division had a calming aspect to their reiryoku due to their work as healers and caretakers. This was invauable, because a trip to the Fourth usually meant that someone was under some level of duress.

However, few souls possessed reiryoku like Azumi’s. Hers was peace personified; it felt like waves steadily flowing and ebbing along the shoreline on a quiet morning. Being around her always brought back memories of the simpler and happier times of his life. It was no wonder that her clinics had grown in popularity over the years. Once you were drawn in by her kindness, her reiryoku made you loathe the thought of leaving her presence.

Today was different.

Shunsui nearly flinched when a jagged pang of sorrow flared against his own reiryoku. And it was a level of sorrow with which he was regrettably familiar. Instinctively, he chased the feeling in an attempt to calm it, but it successfully evaded him. All he could feel now was the familiar pressure of her normal reiryoku.

“Did you find what you were looking for, Soutai—Shunsui?”

His remaining good eye snapped up. His gaze was apologetic at being caught, while hers was guarded, yet understanding. “Forgive me. Your reiryoku has always been comforting, so I was worried when I felt your distress. It wasn’t my intention to pry.”

The healer’s eyes softened at his apology, to his relief. “There’s nothing to forgive. But thank you for your concern. I do my best to not trouble others with my personal issues.”

Shunsui’s lips curved into a smile, but it was one that reached neither his eyes or his heart. “Few are equipped to handle the burdens that weigh heaviest on us.”

“Just so,” Azumi murmured. She returned his sad smile with one of her own before clearing her throat. “Well—shall we begin?”

Shunsui nodded while trying not to let the frustration with himself show. How typical of him to ruin a peaceful moment.

“I’m in your capable hands.”

The healer gestured to the futon arranged neatly behind her; Sawamura’s doing, no doubt. Each muscle in his body seemed to make their ire known as he gingerly settled onto the plush futon. And as an added insult, his right eye also decided to ache in protest. He sighed. Hopefully, Azumi would be able to ease his pain quickly.

As an extra precaution, Azumi enclosed them in a familiar, luminous kaido perimeter. He surmised that she didn’t want to risk losing any reikyoku during the treatment, especially during the restoration phase. The intricacies were beyond his knowledge, but whatever she did created a relaxing atmosphere in the enclosure.

“May I?” Azumi questioned, as she pointed to the patch covering his injured eye. Her hands deftly removed the covering when he lifted his head.

“This hole in my face is the reason I’m now the second-most eligible bachelor in the Seireitei.”

Azumi barely held her laughter back at his sigh and subsequent pout. “I believe Byakuya-sama held the title of most-eligible bachelor even you had both eyes.”

Shunsui’s pout turned into a mild scowl. “Ouch. Why does that insult hurt more than my eye?”

“My apologies, Soutaicho,” she chuckled, not regretting the barb one bit.

“Shunsui,” he corrected with a huff. “And I forgive you.”

When Azumi started her assessment, Shunsui closed his eye and reminded himself to relax. Unfortunately, rest had become an elusive luxury since his appointment as Captain-Commander. Numerous things plagued his mind, despite the end of the war. He was grateful to his two lieutenants who encouraged him to remain true to his carefree ways, but the responsibility of his position wasn’t something he would take lightly—

“Shunsui, you're safe with me.”

The healer’s calming reminder worked its way through the tension in his body, along with the kaido radiating from the hands she placed on his chest. He sighed when he felt his muscles sink deeper into the futon. Comforting warmth began to trickle up his neck and then higher still to his injured eye.

“I promise to not cause you unnecessary pain,” Azumi assured, though Shunsui had the feeling that declaration was assurance for herself.

“Somehow, I don’t think you’re capable of that.” He grinned because he knew his words caused her to smile as well. “Do you know its cause?”

“From what my captain said, it’s most likely phantom eye syndrome. And I agree with her assessment.” Shunsui was acutely aware when her hands moved from his chest to hover above his face. “In most cases, the triggers are fatigue or psychological stress—sometimes a combination of both.”

“My position unfortunately provides those two triggers in abundance. Nanao and Okikiba aren’t going to be happy to hear that.”

“I’m sure your lieutenants will be more than happy to help ease your workload if you ask,” Azumi teased lightly. After a few moments, she hummed in approval. “Physically, your wound is perfectly healed. I’ll focus on calming the optic nerve, because it can still be very sensitive even it’s not—”

Shunsui wasn’t sure if he said anything coherent in reply, because the comforting warmth he felt minutes earlier became the only sensation he could focus on. His waking mind distantly informed him that he was asleep, but the sound of his mother’s familiar and lilting laugh effectively obscured any coherent thoughts. A bright flash brought him to his days at the academy, when he had endless hopes and dreams, and was unafraid of the darkness that lay outside the walls of the Soul Society. And his heart soared at the sight of Jushiro—he missed the man’s company and counsel with his entire being. Juu’s smiling face was the last thing he saw before he felt himself being pulled back to the spirit world…

Shunsui opened his eye slowly. Sounds gradually informed him of his surroundings; first, a repeating call from several birds, second, leaves dancing freely with the wind, and third, a brush gliding quickly along a piece of paper. He paused—was someone beside him?

“Did you have a good nap?”

He turned his head carefully until Azumi’s form came into view. The brush she held moved steadily over the paper in front of her, which was undoubtedly the report on his treatment. Gods, was he really able to sleep that well? All of the aches he carried earlier were gone, including the pain in his right eye.

“I don’t remember falling asleep,” he murmured in awe.

“You were drifting off during the treatment, so I cast a separate kaido to help you sleep.”

Shunsui stretched his arms over his head, then groaned when several spots of pressure popped along his spine. “I haven’t dreamed like that in years. How long was I asleep?”

“Nearly two hours. And I added a bit extra to make sure you only had good dreams,” the healer explained, with a hint of pride in her voice.

“That would explain why Juu was the last person I saw before I woke up.” He rubbed his brow wearily. “…I miss him.”

Shunsui missed the hesitant expression that crossed Azumi’s face at his quiet admission. She wasn’t sure if it was her place to speak about the captain’s closest friend, but she ultimately decided to ignore caution’s nagging voice.

“When I helped with Captain Ukitake’s medications—he liked telling stories about you.” She grinned when Shunsui shot her a suspicious look. “To pass the time.”

That caught the older shinigami’s attention. He knew Azumi played a significant part in helping ease Juu’s pain, but he never considered that his best friend would gossip about him. “And what did my dear Juu say about me?” The initial look of suspicion turned to one of mischievous curiosity as he shifted to the side, opting to rest his chin in the palm of his hand. “I hope you didn’t believe everything he said.”

He gave Azumi credit for trying to keep her laugh in check when she responded. “What about the time you accidentally shunpoed into a river because you were trying to impress the girls in your kido class?”

Shunsui rolled his eye and snorted when the healer started to laugh. He nearly drowned during that little stunt, but Yama-jii had no qualms about reprimanding him in front of the whole class. “Did Juu tell you that we were supposed to shunpo together? And that he got cold feet at the last second?”

“He might have mentioned it after the fact,” Azumi admitted with a dimpled smile. “But he only spoke of you with affection.” After a comfortable silence, the healer inhaled deeply, as if to steady her nerves. “Forgive my impertinence—the world is poorer without Captain Ukitake. I’m very sorry for your loss.”

Shunsui gave her a concerned look when an intense wave of sorrow once again press against his reiryoku. The pain is even sharper this time, but he’s careful to not push like he did earlier. “…I’ve been avoiding Juu’s memory lately. It’s been nearly five years since he died.” It was his turn to inhale deeply. “He’s probably the one who’s been causing my right eye pain.”

“That sounds like something a best friend would do.”

Shunsui couldn’t ignore the sadness in the healer’s reply. “I hope you’ll forgive my impertinence, Azumi.” The next question was asked with all the gentleness he could muster. “Who did you lose during the war?”

He braced himself when a rush of energy slammed into his reikyoku. Despair radiated from Azumi in waves, reflected by her hands balled into tight fists and the unmistakable tremble in her bottom lip. Instinctively, he pushed back against her swirling reiatsu, hoping compassion would help calm her down.

After several tense moments, the intensity of Azumi’s reiatsu eased. “I-I lost my twin brothers. Masaru and Minoru. ” Her voice broke when she unclenched her hands and let out a shaky breath. “They died protecting my family when the Wandenreich attacked.”

“I’m so sorry,” was all Shunsui could manage in the moment. He felt so foolish for even asking, but leaving Azumi to deal with emotions that he brought up would be even more foolish. And unbecoming of Captain-Commander. “You were close to them.”

“…Everyone said we were more like triplets,” she replied softly. Her honey-coloured eyes grew unfocused for several heartbeats as she became lost in a memory. “They rarely went anywhere without me when I was younger.”

“Were they older than you?”

Azumi swallowed the knot forming in her throat. “Yes, by just over two centuries.”

Shunsui’s gut roiled at her reply. Shunzan’s death, with Isuzu following shortly after, created a hole in his heart that never truly healed. His elder brother was strong and unwavering in loyalty. He also carried incredible pride in his duty as a shinigami; pride the younger Kyoraku vowed to emulate in honour of his memory.

And Isuzu tempered Shunzan’s intensity, which allowed the more sensitive part of his brother’s character to shine. It was a beautiful transformation—one that Shunsui was grateful to have witnessed. He held hope that the gods would someday deem him worthy of the same deep love shared by his brother and sister-in-law.

For years, Shunsui felt lost without their steadying voices. The natural passing of time helped in some ways to soften the harsh reality of his grief, but he would always miss them, as he would Juu and Yama-jii. The passing of the latter was starting to become much heavier on him, especially with the anniversary of their deaths rapidly approaching.

It was easy to lose yourself in the type of grief that Azumi was experiencing. Shunsui battled with that same grief for years, but even he wasn’t sure if he could offer her any words of comfort. Perhaps it was immature, but he despised that loss was becoming a more prominent part of his life. It grated against everything he enjoyed—

“But my brothers never treated me like an annoying little sister. Isn’t that strange?”

Azumi’s question served to snap Shunsui out of his increasingly ominous thoughts. She sniffled and looked up at the ceiling, no doubt an attempt to prevent incoming tears. “Not at all. Juu had unlimited love for all his siblings.” His eyes twinkled when he held up his fingers to indicate just how many siblings Juu had. “All seven of them.”

“Seven??” She asked, shocked. “My parents had their hands full with just the three of us.”

Shunsui leaned back on his hands. Visiting the Ukitake manor always involved being ambushed by people and leaving with several servings of food. “My older brother always said I had the stubbornness and laziness of three children. I caused him a lot of grief when we were younger.”

“I’m sure he’d be proud of everything you’ve accomplished,” Azumi offered quietly. She met his skeptical gaze levelly.

“I’m not so sure.” He acknowledged the sincerity in her declaration, but it was difficult to not linger on the thought of how many souls were lost during the war. “Many died under my watch.”

“Many died under my care as well,” Azumi murmured sadly, staring at her hands on the table. “I’ll always regret not being able to extend their lives.”

Shunsui frowned, his hands reaching for hers before he could think properly. Her admission didn’t sit well with him, that she thought so little about her skills. Not when he knew of her invaluable contributions to the divisions and to those living in the rukongai.

“You hands didn’t injure them. Your hands helped ease their deaths.” Azumi’s brows raised at his scolding reaction, then her eyes widened when he slowly turned her hands over until they rested in the cradle of his much larger ones. “And I have no doubt that your hands will continue to save more lives.”

Azumi drew a deep, steadying breath. He suddenly realized how close they were—shock faded from her eyes and was quickly replaced by tentative relief. She nibbled her full bottom lip nervously, but made no move to pull away from him. Instead, she nodded before matching his intense look with one of her own.

“T-Then allow me to say the same about you, Shunsui. Your hands—they protect life. Forces like Aizen and Yhawach will always seek to rob us of the ones we love.” She copied his earlier action by cradling his hands in hers. Heat zipped along his skin when she traced her thumbs slowly down the center of his palms, then softly over each of his fingers. “But you will always do your best to keep us safe, which is all we can ask of any shinigami.”

It had been so long since anyone had touched him with such care. Azumi’s fingers left trails of soothing heat in their wake. He willed himself to be still, because the pressure of her hands against his was light—she was ready to pull away in a heartbeat. Her hands were calloused like his, a glimpse of the years she dedicated to honing her abilities. Polite society would be up in arms at the intimate contact that was reserved for close friends or lovers, but polite society wasn’t present. And he never cared much for what they thought, anyway.

Very little could leave a man like him speechless. As her words finally registered, he realized that his heart greatly needed to hear what she had expressed. There would always be immense pressure on his shoulders because of his title as Captain-Commander. But she reminded him of the honour that went hand in hand with being a protector of the Three Worlds. And it was an honour that he didn’t have to bear alone. Simply acknowledging that facy caused the burden of solitude to ease ever so slightly from his chest.

Shunsui hoped he could have the same effect with the anguish sitting deep in Azumi’s heart.

He waited a breath too long, because the healer started to pull her hands away. But before she could escape, he pulled her hands up to his lips. Her eyes grew large when he placed a soft kiss on the back of first her right hand, then her left. He didn’t miss the shiver that caused her hands to shake.

“Your brothers were honourable men, Azumi. They died protecting the people they loved the most. Keep their memory close to your heart.” The healer’s hands shook again, but this time it was accompanied by a ragged inhale. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks, but he carefully wiped them away before they could do any real damage. “They will continue to live on through you.”

Azumi nodded strongly before gifting him with a teary smile. “Promise me you’ll do the same with Captain Ukitake. No more ignoring him, otherwise I’ll have to treat your eye again.”

Shunsui was about to retort that seeing her wouldn’t be a punishment, but a jigokucho settling on Azumi’s shoulder cut his reply short. His remaining eye narrowed. He briefly contemplated abusing his title to counter whatever orders the jigokucho was currently relaying to the healer. When it finally disappeared, he crossed his arms and grumbled, “Are they making you leave me already?”

The healer could only throw him an apologetic look. “Unfortunately, the Kuchikis held nothing back during their joint training session.”

“How typical.” He raised a brow at Azumi and leaned against the table, his next suggestion full of mischief. “I can deny that order, you know. Tell them that you have a high priority patient to look after.” The suggestion caused Azumi to laugh, and he decided that he would have to make her laugh at least once every time he was with her. She grew even more beautiful when she laughed.

“I appreciate the offer, Soutaicho.” She astutely ignored the pitiful look on his face. “Next time, perhaps.”

When she moved to stand, Shunsui instinctively closed his fingers over hers. He wasn’t ready for her to leave yet, not without expressing his thanks. She frowned and opted to sit once again, curious as to what he would say. “Thank you.”

“You’re wel—”

“Not just for my eye,” he interrupted. “For listening. It’s been a while since I’ve spoken about my feelings to a friend.”

Azumi shook her head in protest. “But Shunsui, I’m not—”

“I’m Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, and I say that we’re good friends.” Shunsui was pleased to see that his signature grin caused Azumi’s cheeks to flush a dark shade of pink. “Is that agreeable?”

“Yes, sir.” She teased, carefully extricating her hand from his grasp. “Perfectly agreeable.”

“Excellent. I’ll have Sawamura escort you—”

“Ah, I can find my way back.” Azumi interjects, neatly packing her supplies in her relief bag. “Besides, I think he’s running several errands for your mother.”

Shunsui stood first, because it gave him the excuse to hold her hand again if he offered to help her up. The knowing grin on Azumi’s face expressed that she knew he wasn’t being subtle. But she accepted his extended hand nonetheless.

“Now, I supposed you’d best be off,” he sighed, already lamenting the loss of her company. “Before I lose shinigami to those pesky Kuchikis.”

“I still rotate with the nurses a few times a week at the relief station. Please visit if you have time.” The healer cleared her throat and tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear. “And please let Captain Kotetsu know if you’re in pain again.”

Shunsui tried not to look too delighted at her offer. He’d have to test his evasion skills against Nanao if he was going to make regular trips down to the Fourth again. After Azumi rounded the corner, he stretched and rolled his shoulders several times. Thanks to his new favourite healer, he was feeling refreshed and strangely productive. The tournament was barely a month away, and he didn’t intend to let his lieutenants suffer with the upcoming preparations.

He grinned, knowing chaos was sure to follow his surprise appearance at the barracks later.

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