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tampered2007-03-11 12:12 am
nonamesword.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2007-03-11 12:12 am
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When; Backdated to after Isane's death
Rating; PG-13
Characters; Unohana Retsu [![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
4thdiv_healer] and Zaraki Kenpachi [nonamesword]
Summary; Unohana goes outside for a breath of fresh air and the 11th division captain is there to make sure she's alright.
Log;
The air of the apartment had never seemed so stifling before, Unohana thought. Even with only four people there, it was suffocating. She exused herself to the balcony, padding softly to the door and sliding it open. The tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as she closed the door behind her. Her arms trembled as they reached for the rail of the balcony, hands gripping the cool metal until pale knuckles turned ghostly white. The first salty drop fell beside her hand and slid off the rail, falling silently to the ground below.
She had seen so much death before, as a healer, but never had it hit so close to home. Knowing Isane would wake was but a small comfort in a City where death was not permanent, but kept one within it forever. She let the rest of her tears fall with abandon, on sound of a sob to accompany them, only the silent wrenching of her heart.
Zaraki wasn’t normally one to care about death. He embraced it every day, accepting it as a normal part of life. But he was smart enough to know that not everybody did. And Unohana, being a healer, was probably one of those people. He’d had a lot of time to think about what he should say, what could possibly ease that pain, since he’d been lost trying to find the way home. He still hadn’t thought of it when he’d climbed up to the roof, laying back in the cool night air. And even after he’d heard the quiet opening and closing of the door, he had nothing.
Quietly, as quietly as the giant captain could, he lowered himself down the side of the building, swinging himself onto the balcony behind her. His eyes were still locked onto the night sky, as if he still had time to think. A soft, emotionless, “hey,” escaped his lips.
The other captain's arrival was of no surprise to Unohana. She'd felt his familar reiatsu nearby; harsh, but somehow comforting. Comforting that she could still feel it, that it hadn't disappeared like... like Isane's. She made no movement or sound to recognize his presence, only closing her eyes, fresh tears falling with the motion. The grip on the rail became painful, and she released it, flexing her hands at her side.
His eyes drifted back to the small captain in the silence. Being more of a man of action than one of words, he took a few steps forwards and rested a large hand on her shoulder. He wasn’t used to this kind of grieving. Death in the bad districts was everywhere. If they died, nobody noticed, nobody cared; it meant one less soul with a sword trying to get by. “You alright?” His speech was even more blunt than usual as he struggled to find any words at all.
"I'm fine, Zaraki-taichou." Her voice was soft as she lied, slender hands moving to wipe away the tears that betrayed the falsehood. "It's... been a long day." His hand was heavy on her shoulder, but she didn't move away, the touch being the only small comfort she'd had all day.
He took another step forward, leaving him close but not touching her save for her shoulder. With a frustrated sigh he said, “look, I ain’t good at this kinda thing but…” His voice trailed off for a second as he looked away again, focusing on the top of a nearby building. “But if you need anything, I’m here.”
Her hand rose and she let her fingertips just barely brush the back of his hand before forcing her arm to drop back to her side. She pulled away, turning her back briefly on him as she regained control of her face, of her emotions and of her voice. "Thank you, Zaraki-taichou, but I'm fine."
He stepped forward again as she turned back and placed both of his hands on her shoulders this time, squeezing them lightly. “Oi, come on, you don’t have to hide anything. A healer’s gotta have someone to help her out too, right?” While normally he’d sound particularly annoyed having a conversation like this, his voice was unusually steady and soft.
"And who is that, Zaraki-taichou?" Unohana nearly snapped. "Isane can't help me if she's dead." The healer knew she was being cold. The other captain was trying to help, trying to comfort her, but she wasn't allowing it. Not while her vice lay unconscious inside.
“Shit, I don’t mean like that. I ain’t a healer. But, I dunno, other stuff.” Talking was never his forte. He knew it, but there was nothing else really for him to do. This wasn’t like a fight, where he could break through with brute force; it almost made his head hurt just thinking about it.
"I didn't meant it like that, either, Zaraki-taichou. Isane's always been the one constant, and for her to be down like this... It's unsettling." The edge to the healer's voice had lifted, but only slightly.
“She’ll be alright…” His voice trailed off again, but this time because he was truly at a loss for words. To se her down like this hurt him in a way that a blade against his skin never could.
"She'll awaken, but she won't be alive."
“Yeah, but there are ways to fix that. Shit, it’s not like she’s gone forever.” He reached for something to say. Anything to help her.
"The deities ask too much for life. The only thing I have to give is what I am, and I don't know that Isane would be happy with me if I did that." Isane's opion be damned. Unohana could never see herself thinking her vice captain dispensable. Not like another did. "... But for her life, I believe I would gladly give whatever they asked."
That was better. That sounded a lot more like the healer he knew. He let go of her shoulders, nodding in response. “You’ll get her back.” He took a small step back to give her room to move, leaning against the railing of the balcony.
Unohana didn't move from where she stood, merely watching the other captain. "... What if they won't take anything I can give them?"
Ken grunted and grabbed her, forcibly turning her around, pulling her into his chest. “No more of that talk, damn it. She’ll be fine. Just…give it time.” He knew he would never understand the pain she was feeling because of his own views on death, but hopefully…this would help. It was all he could think of.
She wanted to pull away, to resist the warmth of the almost-embrace. It wasn't right, she told herself, feeling this warmth, this comfort. Not while Isane lay inside, cold and... dead. She whispered the other captain's name, low and soft, her voice choked with unshed tears. Time won't bring her back, she wanted to say.
“You gonna be okay? I aim’t gonna leave until I know you are.” He released her enough to stare down at her and look meaningfully into her eyes, to show he was serious. He wouldn’t leave her like this. Whatever pain she felt, he wouldn’t leave until he’d helped her through it.
"I will be, Zaraki-taichou, I will be. The day will pass, just as it always does. And even if everything is the same at midnight... She'll be fine." Unohana echoed the other captain's words, the sound of hope in her voice making up for whatever certainty it lacked.
"I should probably go in and check on her; see if she's awakened." The healer pulled away in the direction of the door, but only put a step between herself and the eleventh's captain. "Thank you, Zaraki-taichou."
“Hn, whatever,” he said, with a bit of a laugh in his voice. He wasn’t used to being thanked for anything. He followed behind her only to the doorway, not wanting to go inside. After all, the last thing he needed right now was Isane freaking out and yelling about something, and likely hurting herself even more than she already was.
"I think," she said, turning back to face him, "that it would be best if you stayed with Kusajishi-fukutaichou this evening." She rested a hesitant hand on the door behind her, not wanting to go inside and see the still form of her vice on the medical cot. The more the healer talked, the more time she bought herself. "I'm not sure how Isane will react when she wakes up. I'd actually rather Kira-san and Kiyone leave as well, but I can't pry either of them from her side."
“It’s a nice night. I think I’ll stay out here a while longer.” At least, that’s what he told her. He’d rather be there if she needed him again. It’s not like he had anywhere better to be anyway. He thought of walking back, but changed his mind and instead took another step forward, leaning towards the smaller shinigami, cradling her cheek gently in one of his rough hands and pressing his lips against hers. “Just call me if you need anything, alright?” he whispered against her cheek.
"I will, Zaraki-taichou," she said, her own voice was a whisper. No need to speak loudly when he was so close, the warmth of the hand still on her cheek making up for all its abrasiveness.
“Alright.” That was good enough for him. He let his hand linger for a few moments longer, his fingertips sliding off of her skin as he turned to let her go. He found a comfortable place to sit against the wall and stared out into the night sky, turning unnoticeably to watch her leave out of the corner of his eye.
Unohana slipped through the door and closed it behind her, the form of the other captain barely visible in the dark night beyond the glass. She could hear voices coming from the adjacent room; the room in which Isane lay. One of those voices made the healer's heart ache and swell, all at once. She thanked the 11th captain softly under her breath. It sounded like Isane would be alright.
Rating; PG-13
Characters; Unohana Retsu [
4thdiv_healer] and Zaraki Kenpachi [nonamesword]Summary; Unohana goes outside for a breath of fresh air and the 11th division captain is there to make sure she's alright.
Log;
The air of the apartment had never seemed so stifling before, Unohana thought. Even with only four people there, it was suffocating. She exused herself to the balcony, padding softly to the door and sliding it open. The tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as she closed the door behind her. Her arms trembled as they reached for the rail of the balcony, hands gripping the cool metal until pale knuckles turned ghostly white. The first salty drop fell beside her hand and slid off the rail, falling silently to the ground below.
She had seen so much death before, as a healer, but never had it hit so close to home. Knowing Isane would wake was but a small comfort in a City where death was not permanent, but kept one within it forever. She let the rest of her tears fall with abandon, on sound of a sob to accompany them, only the silent wrenching of her heart.
Zaraki wasn’t normally one to care about death. He embraced it every day, accepting it as a normal part of life. But he was smart enough to know that not everybody did. And Unohana, being a healer, was probably one of those people. He’d had a lot of time to think about what he should say, what could possibly ease that pain, since he’d been lost trying to find the way home. He still hadn’t thought of it when he’d climbed up to the roof, laying back in the cool night air. And even after he’d heard the quiet opening and closing of the door, he had nothing.
Quietly, as quietly as the giant captain could, he lowered himself down the side of the building, swinging himself onto the balcony behind her. His eyes were still locked onto the night sky, as if he still had time to think. A soft, emotionless, “hey,” escaped his lips.
The other captain's arrival was of no surprise to Unohana. She'd felt his familar reiatsu nearby; harsh, but somehow comforting. Comforting that she could still feel it, that it hadn't disappeared like... like Isane's. She made no movement or sound to recognize his presence, only closing her eyes, fresh tears falling with the motion. The grip on the rail became painful, and she released it, flexing her hands at her side.
His eyes drifted back to the small captain in the silence. Being more of a man of action than one of words, he took a few steps forwards and rested a large hand on her shoulder. He wasn’t used to this kind of grieving. Death in the bad districts was everywhere. If they died, nobody noticed, nobody cared; it meant one less soul with a sword trying to get by. “You alright?” His speech was even more blunt than usual as he struggled to find any words at all.
"I'm fine, Zaraki-taichou." Her voice was soft as she lied, slender hands moving to wipe away the tears that betrayed the falsehood. "It's... been a long day." His hand was heavy on her shoulder, but she didn't move away, the touch being the only small comfort she'd had all day.
He took another step forward, leaving him close but not touching her save for her shoulder. With a frustrated sigh he said, “look, I ain’t good at this kinda thing but…” His voice trailed off for a second as he looked away again, focusing on the top of a nearby building. “But if you need anything, I’m here.”
Her hand rose and she let her fingertips just barely brush the back of his hand before forcing her arm to drop back to her side. She pulled away, turning her back briefly on him as she regained control of her face, of her emotions and of her voice. "Thank you, Zaraki-taichou, but I'm fine."
He stepped forward again as she turned back and placed both of his hands on her shoulders this time, squeezing them lightly. “Oi, come on, you don’t have to hide anything. A healer’s gotta have someone to help her out too, right?” While normally he’d sound particularly annoyed having a conversation like this, his voice was unusually steady and soft.
"And who is that, Zaraki-taichou?" Unohana nearly snapped. "Isane can't help me if she's dead." The healer knew she was being cold. The other captain was trying to help, trying to comfort her, but she wasn't allowing it. Not while her vice lay unconscious inside.
“Shit, I don’t mean like that. I ain’t a healer. But, I dunno, other stuff.” Talking was never his forte. He knew it, but there was nothing else really for him to do. This wasn’t like a fight, where he could break through with brute force; it almost made his head hurt just thinking about it.
"I didn't meant it like that, either, Zaraki-taichou. Isane's always been the one constant, and for her to be down like this... It's unsettling." The edge to the healer's voice had lifted, but only slightly.
“She’ll be alright…” His voice trailed off again, but this time because he was truly at a loss for words. To se her down like this hurt him in a way that a blade against his skin never could.
"She'll awaken, but she won't be alive."
“Yeah, but there are ways to fix that. Shit, it’s not like she’s gone forever.” He reached for something to say. Anything to help her.
"The deities ask too much for life. The only thing I have to give is what I am, and I don't know that Isane would be happy with me if I did that." Isane's opion be damned. Unohana could never see herself thinking her vice captain dispensable. Not like another did. "... But for her life, I believe I would gladly give whatever they asked."
That was better. That sounded a lot more like the healer he knew. He let go of her shoulders, nodding in response. “You’ll get her back.” He took a small step back to give her room to move, leaning against the railing of the balcony.
Unohana didn't move from where she stood, merely watching the other captain. "... What if they won't take anything I can give them?"
Ken grunted and grabbed her, forcibly turning her around, pulling her into his chest. “No more of that talk, damn it. She’ll be fine. Just…give it time.” He knew he would never understand the pain she was feeling because of his own views on death, but hopefully…this would help. It was all he could think of.
She wanted to pull away, to resist the warmth of the almost-embrace. It wasn't right, she told herself, feeling this warmth, this comfort. Not while Isane lay inside, cold and... dead. She whispered the other captain's name, low and soft, her voice choked with unshed tears. Time won't bring her back, she wanted to say.
“You gonna be okay? I aim’t gonna leave until I know you are.” He released her enough to stare down at her and look meaningfully into her eyes, to show he was serious. He wouldn’t leave her like this. Whatever pain she felt, he wouldn’t leave until he’d helped her through it.
"I will be, Zaraki-taichou, I will be. The day will pass, just as it always does. And even if everything is the same at midnight... She'll be fine." Unohana echoed the other captain's words, the sound of hope in her voice making up for whatever certainty it lacked.
"I should probably go in and check on her; see if she's awakened." The healer pulled away in the direction of the door, but only put a step between herself and the eleventh's captain. "Thank you, Zaraki-taichou."
“Hn, whatever,” he said, with a bit of a laugh in his voice. He wasn’t used to being thanked for anything. He followed behind her only to the doorway, not wanting to go inside. After all, the last thing he needed right now was Isane freaking out and yelling about something, and likely hurting herself even more than she already was.
"I think," she said, turning back to face him, "that it would be best if you stayed with Kusajishi-fukutaichou this evening." She rested a hesitant hand on the door behind her, not wanting to go inside and see the still form of her vice on the medical cot. The more the healer talked, the more time she bought herself. "I'm not sure how Isane will react when she wakes up. I'd actually rather Kira-san and Kiyone leave as well, but I can't pry either of them from her side."
“It’s a nice night. I think I’ll stay out here a while longer.” At least, that’s what he told her. He’d rather be there if she needed him again. It’s not like he had anywhere better to be anyway. He thought of walking back, but changed his mind and instead took another step forward, leaning towards the smaller shinigami, cradling her cheek gently in one of his rough hands and pressing his lips against hers. “Just call me if you need anything, alright?” he whispered against her cheek.
"I will, Zaraki-taichou," she said, her own voice was a whisper. No need to speak loudly when he was so close, the warmth of the hand still on her cheek making up for all its abrasiveness.
“Alright.” That was good enough for him. He let his hand linger for a few moments longer, his fingertips sliding off of her skin as he turned to let her go. He found a comfortable place to sit against the wall and stared out into the night sky, turning unnoticeably to watch her leave out of the corner of his eye.
Unohana slipped through the door and closed it behind her, the form of the other captain barely visible in the dark night beyond the glass. She could hear voices coming from the adjacent room; the room in which Isane lay. One of those voices made the healer's heart ache and swell, all at once. She thanked the 11th captain softly under her breath. It sounded like Isane would be alright.