Title: Life Goes On
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: IkkaYumi
Genre: Romance, angst, humor, etc
Rating: T
Warnings: Implications of sex, I believe. And cursing. Oh, and my super sadistic ipod.
Summary: Ipod shuffle fics about Ikkaku and Yumichika.
Notes: I'm actually super sad that not many people read this pairing, because I think I might like these better than my ByaRen ones, even if some of them are completely weird.
Link:
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7648119/1/Life_Goes_On Someday-The Strokes
When they were in the academy, Yumichika would always talk about the future, and the things that they'd do when they were in the Gotei 13. How they'd fight hollows, and join the 11th Squad, and meet other, beautiful shinigami. Ikkaku allowed all this fanciful planning because he knew it was Yumichika's way of expressing that he was upset with his life then. He was still teased for his feminine looks and his excessive preening over his appearance. He was never physically hurt, because despite his docile appearance, he was a fierce fighter, with lethal (and impeccably manicured) fingernails. And if he didn't get to someone, Ikkaku would.
When they joined the Gotei 13, Yumichika's ramblings about the future decreased, but stayed present. He spoke about working his way up in the ranks, along with Ikkaku, of course, and becoming famous. Whenever Yumichika talked this way, Ikkaku knew that he needed comforting of some sort, which he silently provided. It became their code of sorts.
After they became lovers, Yumichika's wishful thinking stopped. When Ikkaku asked why, he told him that now, the present was enough, thank you very much.
Shame-Sister Hazel
Yumichika's most shameful secret was a matter known only to himself and Ikkaku. One would think that it would his kido-type zanpaku-to and the strained relationship they had. But this was Yumichika, and his biggest disappointment would be much more shallow than that.
His hair was dyed.
Everyone knew that he primped more than a shinigami really should, but everyone assumed that the jungle of skincare and haircare products in his barracks were the extent of it. He was straightforward about most parts of his beauty regime, but he always asserted that his hair was naturally that beautiful, no dye required. It became a matter of safety-don't imply that Yumichika's hair was dyed, if you valued your life. Nobody broke that rule and escaped unscathed.
Except Ikkaku, who dutifully informed Yumichika every time his roots were showing and helped him smuggle in the hair dye from the human world. After all, what else are friends for?
Dust in the Wind-Kansas
Yumichika never worried about Ikkaku before the Ryoka Invasion. He was the 3rd seat of the famed fighting 11th division, second only to Zaraki and Yachiru. He had never lost a fight unless he was sparring with a captain, and his worst injuries always seemed to be self-inflicted. In Yumichika's eyes, he was invincible. So when he went to chase the shorter, brutish Ryoka and left the orange haired one to Ikkaku, he expected it to be over in an instant. But as he chased the other man around Sereitei, he began to feel Ikkaku's reitsu wavering, and finally drop to a low hum that signified unconsciousness.
Yumichika faltered for just a second as he realized that Ikkaku was defeated. A second later, the bomb hit him.
A Day in The Life-The Beatles
Ikkaku and Yumichika had been together for a long time-as friends, roomates, sparring partners, and eventually, lovers. They knew each other's habits and tics better than they knew their own. Ikkaku was the only person who knew that Yumichika snored, a fact which he would always deny, and Yumichika had memorized Ikkaku's rapt expression whenever he started to talk about a particularly good fight. Eventually, they had fallen into little routines.
Every morning, Yumichika would slip out of Ikkaku's arms, earning a small groan, as he went to start his beauty regimen. As soon as that was finished, he would wake Ikkaku, forcefully, if necessary, and make sure he stayed awake while Yumichika put the finishing touches on his hair and face.
As soon as he was sure Ikkaku was fully awake, he would drag him into the bathroom and present him with the two ever present feathers which adorned his right eye with a quick excuse.
You can see me, so you can do it better. If I mess it up and poke myself in the eye, it'll go all red and that will not be beautiful.
Both of them knew that it was an excuse-Yumichika had been wearing the feathers long before they became lovers, and probably could put them on himself with more accuracy. The subtext of his excuse was always clear.
I want you to be a part of my routine. Part of my life.
And once he had finished placing them to Yumichika's satisfaction (and if Yumichika was feeling, especially affection, he would grab Ikkaku's now empty hand and kiss his fingertips), Yumichika would carefully dip one finger into his red makeup-the only part Ikkaku had any use for-and carefully paint two red marks around Ikkaku's eyes, gently holding his face in place and clucking at Ikkaku not to move or he'd ruin everything.
Ikkaku would always sigh and look very put upon, but when Yumichika turned to wash his finger, Ikkaku always laughingly grabbed him by the waist and kissed him until Yumichika shoved him away.
Still Alive-Three Mile Pilot
Sometimes Ikkaku wondered at the fact that they were still alive and well. They had survived the Ryoka invasion, Aizen's betrayal, the Winter War, and even a human school. They had been beaten and wounded and almost killed, but somehow, by a miraculous stroke of luck, they always managed to make it back.
He used to wonder what he would do if he lived and Yumichika died, but then gave up on the thought. He couldn't even imagine life without the other man. Everything in Sereitei spoke of the other shinigami. Here was the alley where they'd confronted the Ryoka, here was the grounds where Ikkaku showed Yumichika his bankai, here was the out of the way alley where they'd first kissed after a night of drinking and carousing. And here was the bed that they now shared. Ikkaku knew that he couldn't walk through Sereitei, much less stay in his barracks, without aching for Yumichika. The thought alone terrified him.
So he decided, that if anyone died, it would be him, and if he had to die, he would do it protecting Yumichika.
Laundry Room-The Avett Brothers
The 11th division was never known for its kindness towards the 4th division. And somehow, through Zaraki's intimidation and Yachiru's puppy dog eyes, Unohana had agreed to make her division do the 11th's laundry during peacetime. Because of this, it was the 4th division who first found out about Ikkaku and Yumichika's relationship.
The signs were subtle, at first. Laundry contamination-Yumichika's impeccably pressed shihakusho would be mixed in with a bloody undershirt which couldn't possibly be his. Or something in Ikkaku's pile would inexplicably smell like some kind of perfume. At first, Hanataro, who was most commonly put on laundry duty, just dismissed it as carelessness on his part, or the fact that Ikkaku and Yumichika shared barracks. And for his sanity, he reasoned it away.
Eventually, it became more blatant, and he couldn't figure out how to reason away the lipstick stains on Yumichika's underclothes.
Natural Woman-Carole King
Ikkaku was perplexed. He had been out drinking with Renji and Shuuhei, and when he returned, Yumichika was nowhere to be found. Zaraki hadn't seen him, and it was much past Yachiru's bedtime. None of the others seemed to be able to tell him where the flamboyant shinigami was either. Ikkaku knew that Yumichika could handle himself, but as much as he hated to admit it, he had trouble sleeping without him.
So Ikkaku tipsily stumbled through Sereitei searching for Yumichika. He had no luck, and was shouted at by several angry captains, until he walked past Rangiku's room, wher he heard the unmistakable sounds of tipsy giggling. And then the voice of Yumichika.
"Of course, girls, the natural look is all fine and good-you wear it very well, Nanao-chan-but the only person who gets to see me without makeup is Ikkaku."
This was followed by another chorus of giggling as Ikkaku walked in to see his lover holding court among the female shinigami among various cups of sake.
"And there he is. Well, girls, it's been delightful, but I've got to go off to bed, if you know what I mean."
With a sly wink, Yumichika grabbed Ikkaku and dragged him along back to their room.
"Yumi?"
"Hmm?"
"Am I really the only one who sees you without all that stuff?"
"Well, yes. And I'm only saying this because I'm slightly tipsy right now because of Rangiku's vast supply of sake, but you make me feel beautiful even without all that stuff."
Even a half-drunk Ikkaku caught the romantic sentiment in that and took the chance to kiss his lover against the walls of the 8th division barracks.
Gypsy-Fleetwood Mac
Whenever Ikkaku asked what Yumichika did before they met, the answer was always very vague.
"Ah, I was around. A drifter, I suppose. I managed"
For some reason, he was reluctant to broach the subject, even to Ikkaku, and Ikkaku respected that. If Yumichika didn't want to share with even him, he would respect that. But because of the lack of answer, Ikkaku made a habit of fantasizing about Yumichika's past. A drifter, hmm? He considered a young Yumichika as an orphan, a noble, a prostitute, a thief, but his favorite was Yumichika as a gypsy. A drifter with graceful movements and arms full of jewelry, regal and always, always, beautiful. It was a fantasy, but he could see it sometimes, in the swish of Yumichika's hips, or in the way his wrists flicked when he fought.
Cannonball-Supertramp
Ikkaku was an unstoppable force. He fought with vigor and ferocity unmatched by anybody but his captain, and his determination in training was incredible. The Gotei 13 used him much like they used Zaraki-point him at the enemy and let go. Load the cannonball, light the fuse, and watch the chaos ensue. It always seemed to work, except for one thing. No matter where he was ordered to fight, Ikkaku would keep one eye on where Yumichika was fighting. Against most enemies, this wasn't a problem, and he dispatched them easily while still watching out for his lover, but against stronger enemies, his focus would falter and he would sustain more injuries than he would have otherwise. He still won, of course, but less handily. Zaraki was not one for strategy, but he noticed results in a fight, and eventually, he assigned Yumichika to stick with Ikkaku and set the cannonball straight on its course.
Pretzel Logic-Steely Dan
Ikkaku swore that Yumichika was inhuman. Well, they technically were, being shinigami, but that wasn't the point. The way he moved was damned well unnatural, even for spiritual beings.
Yumichika often picked up trends from the human world, especially if they would help his appearance. Most of the fads were discarded after a few weeks, but some stuck and became hobbies which Ikkaku, being Yumichika's partner and lover, was subjected to. The latest was yoga. Although they had soon discovered that Ikkaku was not good at sitting still for long periods of time, Yumichika took to it immediately and devoted about an hour to it every evening. Usually Ikkaku would go out with friends so as to not cause a disturbance, but that day, Renji was staying late with Byakuya, ostensibly to finish some paperwork, and Shuuhei had disappeared somewhere, probably with the other lieutenants. So Ikkaku was stuck watching Yumichika bend and stretch and arch in ways that showed off every part of his slender body and Ikkaku was beginning to remember why he left during yoga hour. Every pose seemed to be extremely sensual-Tree, Warrior, Cobra, Downward Facing Dog. Hell, they even sounded dirty if you thought long enough. And an hour of this was a long time to think. Ikkaku had a hard time not staring whenever Yumichika arched his back or extended his legs, and he swore that Yumichika was moving towards more suggestive poses on purpose.
While holding a particularly long Cobra pose, Ikkaku swore that Yumichika caught him staring and winked.
Ikkaku snapped. Fuck yoga hour. They were going to bed, especially if Ikkaku had to drag Yumichika there in his loose yoga pants.