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Different Circumstances	By : orionshadow Category: Bleach > Het - Male/Female > Kenpachi/Rangiku Views: 42086 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Tite Kubo owns Bleach and the characters depicted therein.   The characters in this story are not mine, except for the original characters. I make no money from the publication of this work.
The Foe
What did I expect when we tried to leave the room? Befuddled by satisfied lust, hope, love and residual pain I wasn't really thinking. I trusted my husband and believed no one was waiting outside the door, confident in the power of Kyōka Suigetsu. Why would Aizen begin to doubt its power now? Again, I wondered how Zaraki had remained immune to its influence.
Then I noticed Zaraki was not carrying his zanpakuto. Not that he needed it, or relied on it when fighting, but it meant both of us were without weapons. I couldn't recall seeing it since I was abducted. Then I concluded they wouldn't give a prisoner access to a weapon. No one would leave someone like me with any form of defence, if they had the choice.
"Beloved, grab anything sharp and dangerous," Zaraki said as soon as he rearranged his clothes. "I'm going to carry you out of here. Pretend you've fainted, near death or something."
I stared at him, incredulous. We weren't simply going to walk out of here even if I seemed unconscious. "That won't work."
He bit his lip, frowned heavily at me, and glanced around the room. The he picked up the sharpest object he'd thrown on the floor. It looked cleaner than most, the sharp edge glinting in the light but the white handle looked odd compared to the black or brown handles of the other implements. It wasn't a knife, not in the conventional sense as the instead of sharpening to a point expanded to a wide flat edge.
"What is that? Why is it here?" I asked. The blade looked sharp, wrongly so.
"A chisel," Zaraki said. "Someone's sharpened it to a knife blade edge. It could inflict some severe wounds and might leave scars, if the person survived. It's clean."
The expression on his face concerned me. He seemed to contemplate the article with a mixture of disgust and fascination. "Only someone intent on causing permanent damage would sharpen a chisel like this. The edges are usually flatter as they are meant be forced into an object and to cut it."
My discomfort grew.
Zaraki undid his shirt and poised the blade over his side. "I'll cut myself a bit, a few more scars won't matter. We'll smear the blood over you, especially your neck and they'll think I've hurt you, maybe killed you. Can you pretend to be dead?"
The more I heard of this plan the less I liked it. Pretending to be dead wasn't a good idea. Often the claim wouldn't be believed unless proven beyond all doubt. Zaraki might be fierce but could he fight off all the Arrancar and Espada? What it they wanted to check pulse, breathing or taste my blood, or even absorb me? I didn't like this idea and the more time that passed the more fear grew.
"No, maybe pretend to be dying," he said as he caught sight of my expression.
Putting aside my fear, or at least attempting to do so, I smiled wryly. "I've had one or two experiences with dying," was my reply. "Not that I remember much, except it wasn't pleasant."
He jabbed the chisel into his side and smeared blood over my neck, chest and face. "Gotta make this look real," he said as he stained my clothes with blood. "Have to make it look like you were raped so they might believe you've miscarried."
"Zaraki, that's enough! You're losing too much blood. What's the point of going to the effort of rescuing me if you die from blood loss as a result?"
I quickly tied a bandage made from some discarded cloth and wrapped it around his body. It wasn't clean but it was better than letting the wound freely bleed, or so I reasoned. We'd soon be out of here and might meet up with Retsu shortly to join forces. The main objective was to rejoin the others, alive.
"No point in living if you die," Zaraki said gruffly.
I stopped tying the bandage and looked at my husband. "Don't you ever say that!!" I told him fiercely. "When our child is born we both have to remain alive to raise it. I don't remember my parents and it's hard growing up in Soul Society alone."
He nodded and grimaced as if at an unpleasant memory. "Yeah. Stealing food and sleeping rough isn't going to happen to our kids. They'll have a home."
"Give me your word," I demanded as I completed bandaging my husband to prevent him dabbing more blood on my clothes or face. It might be a problem if the blood dried but I knew Zaraki was not prepared to wound me or let me wound myself.
"You have my word, Matsumoto. You give me yours that you intend to live and grow old with me."
"I'll try. Let's leave this place and join the fight again. I want to destroy any threat to our future." Was I truly saying this? Yes, I was and it was true. Our future was worth the effort and our child should live hopefully, if not in complete peace at least with an armed truce. I didn't want to kill all the Hollows, only those that were a threat.
Were all the Hollows and Arrancar a threat?
I did wish to see Aizen dead. One of my enemies had been killed in front of me and I was glad he no longer posed the same threat but Aizen was alive, wielding the power of his zanpakuto and still controlling Hueco Mundo.
Zaraki ran his eyes over me. "You look pretty messed up. Could you do something with your hair? It looks too neat and might give us away."
'My hair?" I sighed but caught his expression. "Yes." Placing my hands in it I ruffled it and knew it was going to take some serious time with a comb or brush to get it back under control later."Is this okay?"
Zaraki grinned. "Reminds me of how you looked after our first night together."
I laughed. There was no point in blushing and I enjoyed the memories. "At least you didn't say the first time we slept together."
"Precious little sleeping. Damn it. Why are we here? Why aren't we back in my quarters?"
"Aizen," I ventured.
"Yeah, fucking Aizen. Wants to be King of Heaven and rule over all of us like we're serfs or something. Let's get out of here and back to the others. We've been skulking around too much. Now we have no one giving out inside information we'll take the fight to Aizen and end this."
He'd said it before but I still agreed with him and smiled. "Ending this is a good plan. I want to go home and have a nap... with you."
He picked me up, holding me close in his arms. "Stop smiling and look like you're dying."
Following his instructions, I slumped in his arms, letting one of my arms fall. "You might find that uncomfortable after a while. Let your head droop, keep your eyes closed and try to look like you're in pain."
"You mean focus on the pain I am feeling?" I hated sounding as if I was complaining but it seemed wiser to focus on something, which was real, rather than pretend something I wasn't feeling.
Zaraki nodded coldly, as if not wishing to acknowledge my question. "I can't think of it now, beloved. Knowing they hurt you enrages me so much I almost let the berserker out, but I can't. Not now. Not until I know you're safe."
"Should I groan? It does hurt."
'Whimpering would be better."
"I don't whimper. You can get groaning or nothing."
"Groaning makes me think of fucking you and I can't think of it. I have to be alert and ready to act at any moment."
Typical Zaraki, everything reminded him of sex. "I'll cry. Weak crying."
His lips thinned but he nodded. "Right."
As he opened the door, I finally permitted the pain I was feeling to wash over me. It wasn't difficult to let my head loll or for tears to seep out my eyes. Fear added to the reason for tears and I made a few weak crying noises. It was hard to look under my lashes to see if anyone was around due to my vision being obscured by the tears but I heard Zaraki exclaim with what sounded like satisfaction. He walked swiftly but stopped after turning a corner.
"Where are you taking the woman?" It was Tosen's voice. One of the people I'd sincerely wished we hadn't met.
"Your boss said I could do what I liked with the woman. I want to take her somewhere I can fuck her as long as I want."
"That was not the idea. Is she miscarrying?"
"How the fuck am I supposed to know? Do I look like a fucking gynaecologist? Look, whatever your name is, get out of my way and I won't hurt you. The woman is mine until your boss says otherwise. Understand? I'd like to fight you, but I can't do it while I'm carrying her." Zaraki sounded bored and annoyed. It was the best combination at this point.
"He is not my boss," Tosen sounded sulky. I made some sobbing sounds and rolled my head to indicate pain so he wouldn't look too close. "I will consult him about this."
"Yeah, go and consult him as much as you like. Whatever. Knock yourself out with consulting him, have dinner, grow mushrooms, just get out of my way."
"You will not keep the woman, Kenpachi."
Zaraki stiffened and bellowed. "Who the fuck is this Kenpachi asshole you keep talking about? I can't see him and don't care if I never meet him. As for the woman, she's mine for the moment, so get out of my face and out of my way."
"It might have been more fun if Aizen had left a little of your memory," Tosen murmured as he walked past. "Do not fear. I will make certain everything is in order."
It seemed odd to hear Tosen mention the word fun. Everything I thought I knew about the man indicated he and fun had only met briefly and the meeting did not result in a lasting friendship. Having never seen the man smile, I wondered if the reason was because he found amusement at things which might cause others pain.
Zaraki snorted, almost as if reading my thoughts. "Yeah, you look like a real fun guy. Geddit. Fungi?"
It was hard not to groan at one of the worst and out of context jokes I'd ever heard. It was unlike any joke I'd heard Zaraki make which in some ways was a good camouflage but I sincerely hoped he'd stop making puns. Tosen had not shown much response and I thought I discerned a subtle distaste at the joke but couldn't be sure.
"Your sense of humour has deteriorated along with your manners. I will return shortly. Do not move."
"Fuck you and your orders. I'll go where I fucking want when I want. Clear? Get out of my way and don't bother me again."
"I could kill both you and the woman where you stand," Tosen snarled.
I felt a hitch in my chest. Aizen wanted me alive but it was obvious Tosen didn't really wish to honour that order. He still hated me for whatever reason or maybe hated me because Zaraki loved me.
Zaraki tensed. His fingers dug into me and I made a loud, incoherent protest and pretended I was trying to escape from him in case Tosen thought I seemed too comfortable. "Pumedown," I mumbled thickly.
"She is not quite dead but not aware of her surroundings. She will die easily, Kenpachi if you don't pay attention to me." Tosen said heavily.
"I told you, I don't know this Kenpachi and I don't pay attention to humourless fuckwits who stand in my way."
I heard Tosen draw his blade and wondered what would happen next.
"You really want to do this? Your fighting skills must be pretty bloody weak if you want to fight a man who is carrying a woman, but okay. If that's what you want. Hold it a moment."
Wondering what Zaraki would do it seemed obvious he'd have to put me on the floor but obvious and Zaraki don't mix. "She's pretty banged up, but if I put her down you might get someone to take her," he said as he flung me over his shoulder. This move scared me, as I was sure I'd impede his fighting. Then I remembered he didn't have his zanpakuto, only the torture tools we'd picked up. I struggled to get down only to feel his large hand on my back. He didn't say anything, but it seemed he wished me to stay where I was.
"Don't have a big blade like you. I'll have to use this knife," he said and I hoped it was the longest knife we'd found. It was about half the length of a zanpakuto, but at least it was a sharp weapon.
Tosen coughed. "Even though you are impeded I will not make things easy for you."
Zaraki laughed. "I don't know you but know you enough to not expect you to make things easy. Probably wouldn't have challenged me if it wasn't to your advantage."
Why was Zaraki goading him? "Are you implying I am without honour?" Tosen exclaimed, disbelief evident in his voice.
"Not implying."
I felt Zaraki jump back as Tosen reacted to the insult. I heard the whistle, felt the wind of a blade passing close to me, and tried not to flinch. "See, you are without honour. Good thing you signal your moves so blatantly," Zaraki continued.
I didn't want to be slung over Zaraki's shoulder while he alternatively goaded and fought with Tosen. How could anyone in this position feel safe? Yet if I tried to get down, my pretence at dying wouldn't hold. Why did Tosen have to appear now? What was he trying to achieve?
"I've always hated you and anyone with whom you are friends. How dare you corrupt the good name of the Seireitei!"
Tosen sounded more animated than I'd heard except when he was threatening the life of my child. When he was Captain, he hardly ever showed any discernible emotion and spoke little. Either the environment or something else had changed him and it proved that not all change is good. He was trying to enrage my husband and I hoped he'd chosen the wrong tactic.
"Don't react, Zaraki," I prayed.
I felt movement as they fought and heard the blades clash together. It was sometimes difficult to maintain my balance and I noticed Zaraki kept the side of his body where I was turned from Tosen. It worried me as he couldn't fight unimpeded but it was important I remain in character. "Don't know what this Seireitei thing is or what your beef is with whoever you think I am." Zaraki sounded amused. "Hey, if you hate this guy maybe he might be interesting to talk to. Fun, even."
"Give it up, Kenpachi. I know you're in there. Stop pretending." Tosen panted. It seemed odd that a former Shinigami Captain would be panting this early into a fight.
Then there was another flurry of movement, which jounced me severely. I moaned at the pain it was causing my bruised shoulders and Zaraki again reached up to place his large warm hand on my back. Once more, I tried to relax but it wasn't the most comfortable position or relaxing situation.
"The only one pretending here is you. You're pretending you can fight, but you're pretty hopeless even against a person like me. Look at you. You're panting like the dog you are." Was Zaraki trying to end this quickly by angering Tosen?
"I AM NO DOG! I'm a better man than you'll ever be."
"Yeah, bark away, whatever your name is. Spot? Rex? Towser?"
I had to stifle a giggle as Towser sounded a little like Tosen.
I felt Zaraki tense under me and knew his foe was about to attack. Obviously the man didn't like being called a dog or by dog names. Zaraki turned to one side, placing me behind him and I feared this disadvantage might make it even more difficult to fight. The way he moved, I had the feeling Tosen was directing his attack at me and Zaraki was compensating for that. Why didn't he put me down so he could end this quickly?
A flurry of movement, or so it seemed and I felt a shudder go through Zaraki's frame. Did it mean he had been stabbed? What was happening? It was frustrating and terrifying to be in a fight but not. I couldn't see the movements, only feel them and anticipate who was winning. Staying passive was difficult but I bit my lip hard and tried to remain still. My husband didn't sag or stagger but I heard someone slump to the floor with a convincing thud. This sound without vision was driving me crazy.
"Might want to get that little stab wound looked at. Now will you leave me alone?" It was Zaraki's voice.
"You have blood on your lip, Kenpachi. You must be wounded too," was the gasping answer.
"Nope. It's not my blood, but yours. If I see someone I'll tell them you're bleeding out, or not," Zaraki said as he with deliberate casualness removed me from his shoulder and held me within his arms again. Without moving my eyelids much I tried to look at Tosen. From the little I could see, Zaraki had stabbed him in the stomach, a wound that could cause complications if not treated quickly. "I'll take your blade in case I meet any more of your friends."
Tosen groaned and protested. "You cannot separate a Shinigami from his blade."
"Look, if you're here you're obviously not a Shinigami, not that I believe in Death Gods. Next you'll try to convince me I'm one again. You have a sword, I don't and I need one. Spoils of battle."
Zaraki picked up the zanpakuto and walked off swiftly.
"Come back. You can't take my zanpakuto." Tosen was crawling on the floor after us but our speed left him behind quickly.
"Not even his zanpakuto, silly twit. Bit of bad luck, that. The guy seems convinced that Aizen's zanpakuto didn't work on me and he's right. Sorry about that beloved. I played dirty to get him out of the way quickly. I remembered his moves from last time. Damned lazy and sloppy fighter. The fact he hates fighting doesn't help."
"Was it his blood, Zaraki?"
"Yeah, but don't worry. I didn't taste it."
It seemed now I could ask him the question that had been puzzling me since I'd realised Kyōka Suigetsu didn't seem to affect Zaraki.
"Why didn't Aizen's zanpakuto affect you, beloved?"
Even though he kept moving as fast as he could while walking, it seemed he hesitated slightly. "My natural ability."
His natural ability for what? No one had a natural immunity to that power and it was all too evident he was trying to hide something from me. There was one solution I'd thought of but wanted confirmation I was correct. "Zaraki!"
There was a definite pause and with a great amount of reluctance, he uttered the name I expected.
"Ichimaru."
"Gin? What did Gin do?" It seemed my suspicions were correct, but he may as well tell me everything.
"He slipped something into my hand with a note when I was captured. I hid it in my sleeve and managed to look at it just before I was taken to Aizen. It said it would protect me from Kyōka Suigetsu. Look, I was in a bad position. I decided to trust the guy and it worked."
This was not the Gin who'd become a Captain. This was more the action of my one time friend and love that cared enough to protect me from Aizen any way he could. Tears pricked my eyelids as I began to comprehend the amount of sacrifice Gin had made for me. Sending me away so Aizen wouldn't target me for further harm, pretending disinterest and distaste until he was fully under the power of Aizen who then directed him to remove the threat, which was I.
"I think the guy still loves you, despite what happened earlier," Zaraki's reluctance to say the words made his voice gruff.
"I love you more beloved. He is my past, you are my future."
"It is hard for me to work that guy our, except I get that he's been under Aizen's control for some time."
I heard movement ahead. "Pretend you're dying again. Group of damned Hollows ahead and I don't know if they're Arrancar of Espada."
Trying to appear totally without strength, I shut my eyes and let my head fall back. I hoped we'd get out of here soon. It seemed dangerous for both of us to keep pretending. Eventually someone would become suspicious and while I felt Zaraki had done really well at pretending a complete memory loss, he might eventually make a mistake. The more contact we had with people the more chance of a mistake.
"We've been waiting for you, well for the woman," a voice I didn't quite recognise said.
"Mine now. You can have her when I'm finished." Zaraki sounded unconcerned. "She's pretty badly hurt and I know men like you want someone conscious and aware of what you're doing. Yeah, that reminds me. The guy with the attitude problem and the dark glasses sort of got himself hurt and might need help."
I heard the sound of laughter and wondered why.
"He's not our concern," one voice said.
"Yeah, tell Aizen or Ichimaru or Ulquiorra, someone who cares."
"Don't know who they are. Isn't he popular?"
Why was Zaraki asking questions? I thought the idea was to get away as quickly as possible and here he was chatting away with the enemy. There was nothing I could do because any indication I was conscious and listening might place us in further danger.
"Arrogant prick thinks he's better than us because he used to be a Shinigami Captain. If that's so great, why is he here?"
"If the Seireitei is better than here, why did he leave?"
"Guy talks about honour when he's a bleeding traitor. How can you believe anything he says?"
None of the speakers seemed to like Tosen. When he'd been in the Seireitei, at least his Division had respected him. Here he had no respect and no power. Did he regret his treachery? On the other hand, was his thirst for vengeance against all Shinigami more important than anything else? The little I knew about the man indicated that anything could be sacrificed to achieve his ends. The bitterness and resentment he held within him blinded him to anything else.
"Yeah, the guy is blind in more ways than one," one of the Hollows, offered. "Only has one person who likes him and he's retarded."
"Says a lot," Zaraki said.
I stirred and mumbled nonsense in an effort to stop the conversation and move on. "Oh, yeah. Forgot I had unfinished business."
"Give her to us now and we'll return her when we've finished."
I began to tense.
"Told you. The boss man said I could have her until I'd finished and I've not finished." Zaraki again sounded unconcerned.
A hard voice said, "I don't want to wait. Give her to me now."
"No. Get out of my way. I said she's mine until I'm finished with her." Zaraki raised his voice and began to sound angry.
"Want to fight me?"
The sigh said so much. I could almost hear Zaraki thinking, "Why do people want to fight when I can't and don't want to fight when I do?"
"Put the woman down and we'll fight," the hard voice continued.
"For some reason, I don't think I'll do that."
"Why?"
Zaraki laughed. "I have trust issues with people I don't know. I don't know you, don't want to know you and can tell from our brief acquaintance that I don't like you."
I began to panic. This situation was turning sour. Even though I was with my husband and trusted him completely, neither of us knew who we were facing.
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A.N.
This was written during many, many, many interruptions from family. People, give me a break!
Soundtrack
'The Huntmaster' Alestorm
'Disco Mushroom' Infected Mushroom
'Unmask' Pierrot
"Coming Back to You," Battleships
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