#but she still couldn't escape the toxic hold of the seireitei government like most of the captains

[unohanadaydreams]

Ok ok, but can I get some unohana hcs please?? I absolutely LOVE how you portray her, and honestlu I could sit here and read your writing all day lol. Thank you! Xx

Thank you so much! There is never enough Unohana content! Here are some general headcanons. This got a bit analysis-y but it’s because I really love her and uuuuh made myself sad lmao.

Retsu Unohana:

A life of violence simmers underneath veins and boils at seemingly trivial words and actions. It’s not something that will simply go away or even fade with age. Unohana is so disciplined and benign as the 4th captain because she must be. She is strict with her habits. Tea now, meditation after, and katas next, all with her hair tightly braided. Always disciplined. Always benign. Always contained. Always simmering under the surface.

This is further reflected in her staunch refusal to participate in combat until it is quite literally for the sake of saving Soul Society. This decision is followed by her being told she is not powerful enough to fulfill her duty of healing Ichigo and co. and realizing she is not powerful enough to defeat Yhwach after Yamamoto’s death.

She chooses to battle again, to slink into her old skin, only when it becomes clear that on both fronts of her expertise, she is too lacking to refuse the suicide mission. How can she say no, when saying no could mean the end of what she learned to cherish?

This is also reflected in how she treats her division. She sees the boiling passion and recklessness she denies herself staining their actions and she leads them to calmer, cooler waters. She instills in them the sense that they are important, that their actions and lives have the power to influence many. They have the power to heal and they must understand it IS power. They must comprehend that the 4th squad members are responsible for their lives and others, that they must always think about the hurt their recklessness can inflict.

Coming to terms with these ideas was very painful for Unohana, herself. She only learned to heal in order to battle longer, after all--to be near immortal. How many lieutenants and underlings did she discourage and dismiss? How many did she encourage to take the wrong the path? How many did she completely degrade? How many other souls does Unohana see behind Isane’s eyes when she calmly insists her lieutenant think of the bigger picture?

I don’t think she was scared to approach Kenpachi and in fact I’m sure she did when he came to the Seireitei to be a captain. But he didn’t want to hear or see her wrapped in his idea of weakness. I don’t think she gave up on it either; she needled him from time to time. Why else would the 11th division so unabashedly bully the 4th division under his leadership? He only accepted her wisdom when she emptied herself, when she forsook the wisdom she needed to impart with the wisdom he wanted--that the Seireitei wanted. 

Absolutely suffers from depression and is partial to introspection and guilt. She went from cutting down people to feel something, to genuinely caring about healing others and leading her underlings to be thoughtful, well-adjusted healers. Some days, convincing herself she has changed or that her changing matters is nigh impossible.

Tenjiro Kirinji absolutely verbally kicked the shit out of her and helped her adjust to being a healer. He’s gruff enough to get through to her. To make her see what a “self-centered whiner” she’s being. Oh, you think the 15th seat is a wimp and not fit to be a shinigami at all? That’s fine, Retsu; you’re now his personal tutor for the rest of the month. Have fun, ya brat! Wow, you think you’re too damaged and awful to do good? Fuck off; you’re here to give the wounded a fighting chance, not find salvation. She learns to find meaning in healing. In doing her job. In undoing damage she used to relish.

She left Isane an insane amount of stuff, including techniques Tenjiro left behind for Unohana herself. Katas and kidos and healing concoctions she holds dear or leaves Isane to finish. She leaves favorite teas, cherished pictures, and lovely clothes she never gave Isane, but thought would suit her. ‘For the girl wearing my legacy in her hair, words woven in the braid.’

She leaves Kenpachi journals she found sort of cringey before she died, but she thinks they’ll help, perhaps. That her struggle and strife on paper might mean something for him. ‘For when you conquer the mountain and can go no higher; when only the climb down is left’ she marks it. And he tosses it with a scoff (but stores it somewhere safe a few hours later.)

She leaves behind the memory of Retsu Unohana, the captain of the 4th Division. Because that’s who she was when she lived--when she REALLY lived.