Smiles
A story of a complicated love polygon.
(ShuuheixKiraxIkkakuxYumichikaxShuuhei)

((Shuuhei))

To Shuuhei, Kira's laugh was melodious.

It wasn't even that pretty, it was some kind of hidden giggle, sometimes a chuckle when he was trying to be polite, either because he didn't like you or didn't really get the joke.

Kira's laugh when drunk was even less pretty. He didn't snort like Renji or Ikkaku, but there was a sort of forced air about it. Like it was the sake pushing the air out his throat and into soft 'ha ha ha's. He didn't even have an evil or mischievous laugh, his 'he he he' sounded more like an airy chuckle coupled with a grin.

But to Shuuhei it was special every time Kira would tilt his head back a bit, opened his mouth almost up to his teeth and just laughed. Freely and honestly. Without shame and without fear that someone would come and suppress him.

Even if it ended in a curious giggle/snort, Shuuhei loved Kira's laugh, because only he could make it come.

((Izuru))

Kira had never heard such an honest laugh such as Madarame Ikkaku's.

And it was never the same laugh. Sure he guffawed every time, fighting, drunk, sitting, laying down, sleeping. It was always a loud laugh, but Kira could tell subtle differences, he thought.

His laugh with Yumichika was different, it seemed lighter somehow, relaxed. Like he could trust the other man to laugh along or hit him, or whatever, but he could trust him. His laugh with Kenpachi or Iba or Renji was different, it sounded like a challenge, like the next thing that was going to happen was that their swords would be drawn and a fight would begin.

But no matter what, it always sounded joyful, like he was truly having fun and enjoying himself, it was never a fake laugh, not even to his enemies or to Kira.

Ikkaku's laugh was loud and boisterous, but Kira thought it complimented the man nicely.

((Ikkaku))

Yumichika's laugh was actually a secret. His real laugh.

In most situations, Yumichika would let out a soft chuckle, something beautiful. Maybe polite. Or if something really amused him he'd give an airy laugh, very light and true, but still not his real laugh. Or he could even give a mocking laugh, loud and exuberant, and yet beautiful by some standard.

Ikkaku knew Yumichika's laugh. It took him his fare share of decades to finally hear it, but once he did it was reserved for him only.

He didn't know how to describe it, but it was like a bright flower. Loud and colorful, ruled by an unknown logic that made beautiful patterns and sense. Yumichika would probably accuse him of becoming some kind of pansy on him, so Ikkaku kept that description to himself and let others keep believing that those soft chuckles were Yumichika's real laugh.

Yumichika's laugh was a secret, it wasn't something Ikkaku could boist about, but it made him proud that his friend would trust him with such a secret.

((Yumichika))

Shuuhei's laugh was unique.

In Yumichika's eyes it was a horrible way to laugh. The way he would bend over when laughing about Renji and Iba's antics, or how he tilted his head back almost completely to laugh about a recently heard joke. But that didn't make it an awful laugh.

Short sounds, all evenly paused and almost equally sounding 'ha ha ha's. For the most part, it was beautiful, in Yumichika's opinion. And more than that, despite general opinion, Yumichika could also appreciate inner beauty and that was were he considered Shuuhei's laugh truly beautiful. It was honest and true, he never laughed mockingly or will ill intention, he never faked his laughs. That was what Yumichika truly appreciated in Shuuhei's laugh.

And when he didn't laugh, Shuuhei smiled. Such a handsome and nice smile, the smile of a truly good person. Yumichika was a bit envious of that, of being able to show his emotions in such a raw way. He'd never want it any other way though.

END

Who do you think is most in love?