Dabbling with Drabbles - Bleach

No Tears Allowed

Title: No Tears Allowed
Pairings: ShunUki
Words: 897
Warnings: Ukitake crying.

As a captain, he had heard many unnerving noises that could make him physically wince and shy away, but this was, by far the most unsettling thing Toshiro had ever heard.

Captain Ukitake and Captain Kyouraku were...arguing.

Not playful bantering under the guise of having a heated verbal discussion, but a real acid-spitting argument with tempers flaring, harsh words exchanged and raised voice accompanied by throwing of accusations, punctuated by the jerky movements of arm waving.

He wasn't sure what they were arguing about, most likely about Shunsui's drinking and flirting habits that were something left to be desired. But, it wasn't just Shunsui, he was sure. Ukitake had a severe lack of self-worth, often asking Shunsui why he would want to be with someone as sickly and weak as he was when he suffered a severe blow due to his illness.

For the first time in...forever Toshiro felt like a child being forced to endure his parents arguing. It wasn't right, it wasn't natural; Ukitake and Shunsui are supposed to have the strongest relationship in the entire Soul Society. They've been together for over 2000 years, for Heaven's sake!

They shouldn't be fighting like this...it just shouldn't be happening.

Suddenly, there was this sound of a sharp crack and all yelling stopped. Startled, Toshiro peeked carefully around the corner and what he saw made him want to hide again. Ukitake stood there with his hand out in front of him, his eyes wide as he stared down at his palm. He then took a stumbling step backwards only to hit his back against the wall and wore the most heart-breaking expression of devastation on his face.

Shunsui, for his part, gingerly touched his cheek, evidence that Ukitake had indeed slapped him. He then sent Ukitake an unreadable look before brushing passed him swiftly, leaving the room without a single noise.

An uncomfortable moment of silence followed.

Ukitake then crumbled, burying his face into his hands and slipping his back down the wall until he sat unceremoniously on the floor. And then, Toshiro heard it; a sob. Another quickly followed, his shoulders shaking as he continued to hide his face, his white hair cascading around his trembling shoulders.

He was crying...

Toshiro didn't know what to do. Captain Ukitake, who was so peaceful and carefree was sobbing into his hands in an empty room, trying his best to smother his cries with his hands. And his Spiritual Pressure, it was so...fearful.

He was scared. So scared that Shunsui would actually leave him. He loved him so much...

Toshiro pressed his back against the wall and slid down until he touched the floor. He didn't know what to do. He had never felt so...lost before. Why was this happening? It wasn't right; Shunsui and Ukitake are supposed to be so happy and carefree all the time. That's what they were supposed to be, dammit!

Anger bubbled in his chest when he heard the voice of Yoruichi trying to give a distressed Ukitake some comfort, the gentle captain asking her if she thought Shunsui will leave him. It was truly heartbreaking.

However, Toshiro knew what he had to do now.

Determined, he jumped to his feet and Shunpo'd away, finding Shunsui immediately as the flamboyant captain hadn't wandered that far. It was clear that he was equally devastated by what happened, but truthfully, Toshiro didn't give a shit about his feelings at the moment.

He appeared in front of 8th Division captain, Hyorinmaru raised and pointed threateningly at him. Toshiro was so annoyed at this point that he was more than willing to go Bankai on Shunsui if it was the quickest way to made him see what he was doing was foolish.

"I suggest you go back there and fix what you have done," Toshiro said to his fellow captain coldly, the temperature around them dropping to the same iciness as his eyes and his voice. He left no room for argument.

Shunsui looked startled by his sudden appearance, then slightly confused before realization settled in, those emotions all occurring in a matter of seconds.

Toshiro then lowered his Zanpakutō a mere fraction. "He's crying, Shunsui," he told the much older man softly.

Apparently, that was all that was needed to be said. Shunsui's eyes widen quite dramatically before he turned around and Shunpo'd away...straight to Ukitake.

Toshiro followed and watched as Shunsui quite literally pushed Yoruichi aside and gathered Ukitake up into his arms, the frail captain grasping onto the pink kimono on his shoulders like a lifeline, burying his face into his shoulder and apologizing through his tears. But Shunsui insisted that he was the one who should apologize, running his hands through Ukitake's hair and kissing his temple, all the while promising never to leave him.

The tears quickly slowed and soon Ukitake was brushing the evidence of his breakdown away hastily, looking embarrassed about his emotional outburst. However, Shunsui simply kissed him.

Everything was back to normal now.

Satisfied by what he witnessed, Toshiro turned around and left them be, feeling dramatically better with himself. There, that was how things should be; Ukitake and Shunsui acting sickly sweet together like a pair of newlyweds. He normally didn't like to interfere with the private lives of others, but this had to be done.

After all, no one was allowed to make Ukitake cry.

No one.