Doki Doki! A Pink Sugar Love Story

~o~

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Are you ready for a fluffy romance? You see, I don't usually write romance, since battle manga are more my specialty, so I decided to give it a whirl. And I ended up with…a battle fic with a side of romance.

I tried, okay? XD

In retrospect, I shouldn't have involved Kenpachi Zaraki in a fic intended to be a fluffy light hearted romance. And now that I look at it, my premise is actually pretty violent in the first place. But it's here, it's done, and it carries my own unique blend of humor and drama, with a gratuitous side of Squad Eleven's favorite pastime. (Beating each other senseless.)

It may not be complete fluff, but I had fun playing in this universe. So take a look, enjoy the show, and let me know if you spot any errors! Rated T for brief battle sequences, and the existence of Kenpachi Zaraki.

Little Miss Firebright out. :)

~o~

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any other franchises named after cleaning supplies.

~o~

Yachiru Kusajishi skipped through the gates of the Soul Society with a cheery hum on her lips and a bloodied sword held carelessly in one hand. Her bruised and battered squad members limped after her, groaning with relief when they finally made it home, collapsing just inside the gates.

"My goodness!"

The exclamation came from a soft voiced woman in a captain's haori who wore her long, dark hair braided in front of her body. Her gentle blue eyes widened as she took in the injuries before her. "I was under the impression your squad was on a simple reconnaissance mission, Lieutenant Kusajishi," Captain Retsu Unohana scolded, a hint of reproof in her normally mild tone. "Hanatarō, see to their injuries at once."

"Y-yes, ma'am, captain, right away!" the timid young man at her side sputtered, accidentally dropping the box of paperwork he'd been holding as he saluted. The newest Third Seat of Squad Four, Hanatarō Yamada, may have had the confidence and bravado of the average stuffed teddy bear, but no one could say he didn't take his job seriously. "Third and Fourth Relief Teams, begin dividing the injured by the severity of their wounds!" he ordered, directing the nearest members of his squad into action. He unhooked a pouch of medical supplies from his sash, and rested one hand on his zanpakutō for reassurance.

But when he reached Yachiru, a flush bloomed on his pale cheeks. He swept back his drab chin length hair nervously, looking up at the adorable Lieutenant of Squad Eleven. "May I tend to your injuries, Yachiru-san? I also have salves and medicines to restore stamina if you're tired…"

Yachiru beamed, her smile so dazzling poor Hanatarō was reduced to staring numbly. "No thanks!" she gushed, her voice as sweet as sugar, practically glowing with energy. "I didn't get injured at all! That Hollow ambush was a great warmup for training today!"

One of her squad members was sobbing silently, despite being a grown man. Another shook convulsively, staring sightlessly at nothing. "There were so many…everywhere I looked, white masks…why were there so many?" Another injured woman laughed hysterically, rocking back and forth.

Yachiru hummed as she walked, making her way straight towards the nearby sparring grounds, where Kenpachi was watching a pair of Soul Reapers test their skills. She called out his name, her voice full of affection.

Several Soul Reapers watched her go, not even bothering to hide their stares. "Hey, is it just me…or has Lieutenant Kusajishi gotten a lot cuter lately?" the Lieutenant of Squad Three, Izuru Kira noted out loud, sounding surprised. "Not in a creepy way or anything, I just mean…she's really grown up in the last fifty years."

It was hard not to notice Yachiru Kusajishi. The long bangs of her candy pink hair framed her heart shaped face with soft pastel color, accenting the lively flush of color on her cheeks and the perfect rosy shade of her cupids bow lips, which always carried a warm smile for her fellow Soul Reapers. She had grown tall and lithe as the years went on, filling out with just enough soft curves to catch lingering stares from the men of the Soul Society. The princess of the combat squad seemed to grow more beautiful with every horrific battle she won, a delicate pink flower that thrived on freshly spilled blood.

"I think you meant to say she's a fine woman," his younger squad mate said with a whistle, admiring what her lilting skip did to her figure from behind. "She might not be as well developed as Rangiku, but she still makes the top ten list for the hottest women in the Soul Society. And how does she always smell like cupcakes?"

"I just mean, it seems like yesterday that she was riding around on Kenpachi's shoulder," Izuru stammered hastily, catching himself self-consciously. "She's become quite the extraordinary young woman."

"And she's so strong, she even beat Renji the other day in training!" an energetic young man named Rikichi gushed with awe and longing. "A girl like that is once in a lifetime! I'd love to ask her out on a date!"

As if he sensed them talking, Kenpachi Zaraki turned to stare at the group with merciless eyes, a cold surge of killing intent washing over them like an icy wave.

As one, the men went rigid with fear, flinching as if they'd seen death itself staring down at them. Rikichi spoke first, his tone hushed with fear. "B-but then again, maybe I'd rather live," he whispered, giving the cute girl one last longing look, knowing he'd see Kenpachi's icy glare in his nightmares for the rest of his life.

~o~

Kenpachi Zaraki cracked open his eyes, his bleary vision clearing gradually until Yachiru's pouting face came into focus. Motes of dust swirled through the light filtering through the windows. The dojo was empty, save for his pink haired lieutenant. "Kenny, we need to talk," Yachiru said reproachfully, putting her hands on her hips.

Kenpachi grumbled incoherently as he hauled himself to a sitting position, his thoughts muzzy and annoyed. "What happened to today's sparring matches? Don't tell me those spineless dogs decided not to show up," the fearsome man complained, glaring balefully at the empty room as if the men who had annoyed him would be revealed hiding among the shafts of sunlight.

"No!" Yachiru huffed. "Sparring was earlier today, but you were so bored by the matches you fell asleep! That isn't what I came to talk to you about!"

Kenpachi thought about it, and did vaguely remember the disappointing fights of his squad members. "Oh," he grumbled, cracking his neck and flexing to work out the kinks in his muscles. "What did you wake me up for, then?"

Yachiru took a deep breath, meeting Kenpachi's gaze with her own determined ferocity, with the air of a woman who has made up her mind. "I want to go on a date," the cute girl announced firmly.

"Is that all?" Kenpachi snorted, surprising her with his nonchalance. "Good. I haven't decapitated anyone in ages. So why don't you go fetch the slack jawed weakling who decided he was worthy of you…and I'll find out if his jugular vein can block my sword."

"No!" Yachiru shouted, stamping her foot childishly. "Kenny, you always scare away the guys who are interested in me! At this rate, I'm going to end up the only girl in the Soul Society who has never been on a single date!"

"What about that Tenzo kid? He took you to a dinner date. I distinctly remember it."

"Kenny, you remember it because you made me bring you along," Yachiru said, narrowing her dark magenta eyes. "It doesn't count as a date if you're sitting right next to me! And Ten-chan ended up too scared to say a single word, and even wet himself when you reached for the salt! He didn't just stop talking to me after that, he transferred all the way to the borderlands!"

Kenpachi smiled widely at the reminder, seeming pleased with himself. "There you have it. A date. It was good talking with you, Yachiru."

The cute girl sighed with defeat, closing her eyes briefly. "It isn't like I want to choose someone you don't like. Your approval means everything to me, Kenny! But you aren't even giving guys a chance! I really want to try having a boyfriend or even falling in love-" Kenpachi snorted loudly, interrupting her. "But, I need to be able to get to know a boy before I'll know if I really like him!"

"What brought all this on?" Kenpachi asked irritably, staring at his tiny lieutenant balefully. She may have grown up, but compared to him she was still a little midget as always. "Is there someone you're actually interested in?"

"Not yet," Yachiru admitted, chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully. "But there are a few potential boyfriends in the squads. I really want a date to the Millennium Ball next month, so I was thinking of choosing someone. Isn't there anything I can do to convince you?"

Kenpachi glared at his lieutenant's admittedly cute puppy dog eyes, which she currently had turned up to maximum adorableness. "Fine!" the fearsome captain said grouchily, and Yachiru's expression lit up like the sun. "But I won't accept some weakling as your date! If anyone wants to date you, they have to go through me first, in a one on one showdown!"

"Kenny, that's great!" Yachiru sang, hugging him tightly, as if it weren't a goal so horrifying it was nearly impossible. "Thank you! I'll start preparing right away! You're the best!"

~o~

Yachiru hummed happily as she hung posters throughout the Soul Society, already wondering what kind of man her boyfriend would be. He needed to be strong, she decided, nodding her head firmly. And willing to participate in her elaborate pranks on Byakuya Kuchiki! "But what should he look like?" she wondered out loud, touching a finger to her lips. Looks were something she hadn't really considered.

Her squad mate, Yumichika Ayasegawa, chose that moment to walk by. He was widely considered one of the most attractive men in the Soul Society, with stunning good looks which rivalled most of the women as well. His glossy black hairdo was always perfectly styled, sporting occasional braided accents and brightly plumed feathers to further emphaticize his fashionable taste. His eyebrows were plucked thin into perfect arches, his mysterious violet eyes always held an air of intrigue, and his naturally long eyelashes were often adorned with golden feathers on the fringes. His clothing as well was styled carefully, with customized royal orange additions to the standard Soul Reaper garb.

Yachiru's mouth fell open, and she pointed at Yumichika as if she'd just realized an eternal truth of the universe she'd never noticed before. "I've got it!" she exclaimed, her magenta eyes wide with shocked realization. "I'll date anyone as long as they don't look like you!"

"Hey!" Yumichika complained loudly, his feminine violet eyes twitching with fury. "What's that supposed to mean? You dare insult my looks? I'll have you know I'm considered very attractive by everyone in Squad Eleven!"

"That's exactly what I meant!" Yachiru laughed, beaming at the fabulous man. "Most of the members of Squad Eleven are men, and you look like a girl! As long as I don't date some girly boy who constantly worries about his looks, I'll be just fine, even if he's a Hollow! Thanks for the help, Yumi-chan!"

Yachiru skipped away with her pile of posters, evidently no longer worried by such trivial details as appearance or personality in her future date, leaving the fuming Yumichika behind her.

"What was all that about?" Ikkaku Madarame asked with curiosity, the sunlight glinting off his bald head dramatically. The bare muscles in his forearms glistened with sweat from his sparring session. He held the three sectioned staff of his zanpakutō carelessly over one shoulder. "Yachiru can't be talking about dating again. Didn't Captain Zaraki break the legs of the last guy who complimented her figure?"

"Hell if I know," Yumichika fumed, his fists clenched tight. "What guy would fall for such a demonic little monster anyways? I simply don't see the appeal!"

Ikkaku laughed out loud, slapping his friend on the back good naturedly, and with such force he nearly fell over. "Guys don't care that she's a terrifying force of evil, as long as she looks like a cutesy shoulder angel. You're just mad because our little lieutenant grew up cuter than you!"

"That's not true, I don't think like that at all!" Yumichika snapped. "And also, take that back since I am far cuter than she is!"

"Let's see what trouble the lieutenant is up to this time." Ikkaku leaned down, picking up one of the posters which had fallen to the stones. The muscular man blinked once, his expression quickly changing to horror. "W-we've got a problem! Have you seen these, Yumichika?"

"It can't be that bad," Yumichika scoffed, snatching the paper away from him. He read out loud, his voice shifting slowly to incredulity. "The opportunity of a lifetime. Win the right to be Yachiru Kusajishi's one and only boyfriend in battle! All interested men gather at the Squad Eleven barracks on Saturday at noon for a grand battle of love, against none other than Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of Squad Eleven? She can't be serious!" Yumichika exclaimed. "No one will show up for this, will they?"

"You're forgetting that men do some truly stupid things for love," Ikkaku said grimly. "Which means we might have a bloodbath on our hands, and the captain is the only one allowed to participate!"

"Is that all you're worried about?" Yumichika complained, smacking the other man upside the head. "He might kill half the men in the Soul Society, and then where would the average men be to contrast my beauty? This is more than we can handle alone. We need to get help right away!"

~o~

News spread quickly. And despite the hundreds of posters littering the walls, Yachiru's personal requests, and the truly ridiculous number of men interested in dating her, not a single one of them dared to face Kenpachi in open battle. She was certainly cute, just not cute enough to die screaming for.

Yachiru groaned with frustration, sitting heavily in the chair across from the Captain of Squad Ten. "This is so frustrating!" she complained, starting the conversation completely out of the blue. "Are all the guys in the Soul Society cowards? It's ridiculous!"

Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya sighed, setting aside his paperwork. He was used to interruptions and personal drama, thanks to his decades of service with Rangiku. "Why don't you tell me what's going on, so I can get back to work?" the cool headed captain said tolerantly, giving the bubbly lieutenant his full attention.

Yachiru wasn't the only one who had grown up. Tōshirō Hitsugaya stood eye to eye with the other captains, a tall and powerful man who had fully grown into his icy abilities. His tousled white hair and cool green eyes were enough to bring a blush to any woman's cheeks, and now that he had the build and sharp jawline of a Greek god, there were few who could resist his charm. This appeal annoyed the wintery captain, who found the constant attention troublesome. He wore the simple white haori of a captain, with only a long teal scarf for adornment, and his zanpakutō, Hyōrinmaru, always close at hand.

"Well," Yachiru said, deciding she might as well complain to him, though she'd only shown up in annoyance after being unable to find anyone else to vent to, "I really want to bring a date to the Millennium Ball, but I can't find anyone who can pass the skill requirement for battle! It's so bad no one even wants to try…I don't know what else to do!"

"Oh," Tōshirō said, sounding surprised. "Is that all? Why don't I go with you? Captains are required to attend the event anyhow, and I don't have prior plans."

Yachiru bolted up in an instant, bracing her hands on Tōshirō's desk with huge eyes. "You'd really do that?" she demanded, her sudden proximity surprising the normally cool captain. "Really?"

"Well, yes," Tōshirō said, blinking with surprise. "It works out for me as well, since I won't have to listen to Rangiku's complaints. I would love to accompany you."

Yachiru laughed out loud, whirling in a circle of victory in the cold room. "That's great!" she sang, smiling at him with sincere fondness. She held up a finger warningly. "You just need to do one thing first! Defeat Kenny in a one on one battle, this Saturday! It's the only way he'll let me go!"

Tōshirō stared, his pale features going impossibly paler. "You want me to fight Kenpachi?" he repeated incredulously. "Over the right to date you…which is one of the few things he truly cares about?"

Yachiru nodded happily, clasping her hands behind her back, but Tōshirō stood abruptly, grabbing a pile of papers. "I'm terribly sorry, but I just remembered I have more paperwork to do. Best of luck, Lieutenant Kusajishi!"

He left the room in a hurry, leaving her alone.

It looked hopeless. Yachiru sighed, walking down the streets later that day. Captain Unohana watched her dejected pace, a thoughtful expression on her face. She already been approached by the girl's worried squad mates about the situation at hand, and seen for herself the impossibility of Kenpachi's demands.

"I do believe our young lieutenant might require assistance," the elegant captain murmured, a slight smile on her lips. "Isane," she said, addressing her own lieutenant. "I need some help spreading a rumor."

~o~