Title :: First Words
Setting :: Bleach
Characters :: Yachiru, Kenpachi
Words :: 680
Related Stories :: Teething Pains, Learning New Tricks

The woman standing before him, scowling as though she might actually be scary enough to pull it off was a joke, really. And Kenpachi would have had no qualms about brushing her aside (but no smashing, cause hey, she wasn't a fighter and well, that meant something or else, really) but the fact that Yachiru was currently clinging to the woman's shoulder and cooing of all things made doing anything at all to the woman something of a challenge. That, and Yachiru had finally teethed properly and thus, had discovered that biting did indeed tend to get Kenpachi's attention real fast if used properly and with care. And lots of enthusiasm.

Dammit.

Taking a deep breath and pretending not to notice the way things tended to rattle and shiver around him (the entire courtyard was now cleared of leaves, some of them still floating erratically at the outskirts) Kenpachi glared and growled and didn't quite stamp his foot, while refusing to admit he'd just been Yachiru'd to a standstill.

Damn. It. All.

The woman huffed slightly and gave him a trembling, if ferociously smug smile in return, Yachiru still neatly held in her arms, the baby girl rubbing her cheek on the soft fabric of the kimono while cooing happily. Soft, apparently, was good.

Kenpachi was starting to feel snubbed and it wasn't making him happy at all.

"She needs a new kimono," the woman finally said, having found some sort of balance it seemed in the face of Kenpachi's glaring and general looming about. "This thing she has is no better than a rag by now. And you need to pay more attention to your reiatsu. Fool."

Both eyes popped open at that and Kenpachi took one step (or stomp) forward only to near strangle on what he'd been about to say as Yachiru turned around to look at him, beaming in that ridiculously happy way of hers. "Aaah!" She gurgled while patting the woman's kimono (it was the kimono, Kenpachi comforted himself with – NOT the woman herself that Yachiru seemed to have taken to so suddenly) and then pointed at Kenpachi, while beaming at the one carrying her.

"Ken-chan!"

Leaves fell to the ground as the reiatsu floating about the courtyard went from furious irritation to stunned shock in a heartbeat, dying out with a low meep of whipped surprise.

"Ken-chan!" Waving her arms in a way that nearly beaned the woman holding her on the head, Yachiru starting to say the words over and over again to herself, in a gleeful singsong. Obviously, her first spoken words were something she fully planned on enjoying. A lot. That it reduced the reiatsu in the area lower with each iteration until it was almost nil certainly wasn't noticed by the pink-haired girl or the tall dark-haired man staring down at her, though the woman did. Very much so. A look of unholy glee crept into her eyes at its effect on the tall fighter before her, but she wisely looked down and away, not letting him get the slightest hint as to her amusement. Speaking the nickname out loud as well never even crossed her mind.

She might have been brave to the point of foolhardiness, but she wasn't suicidal.

"Neh, stranger-san. Stay awhile. I'll make her a new kimono. And some replacements for later on." She bounced Yachiru up and down in her arms a bit, drawing delighted giggles from the girl while failing to note the sudden critical way Kenpachi observed the gesture, as though filing it away for later reference.

Taking that as a yes the woman turned around on her heel, keeping a careful ear out for giggles and coos from the girl in her arms, the only thing keeping a very brawny (and bloody around the edges, ew) man from doing something... well, stupid. Like taking the girl and running off before the new kimonos could be made.

Kenpachi scowled and stomped and followed, Yachiru's delighted expression and piping voice tugging him along more firmly and securely than any amount of chains might have.

Current Mood: tired