Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its characters. They belong to Tite Kubo.

Paperwork

Days spent in 11th division were never uneventful. With its members fixated on the rush of battle, and influenced by massive egos, the 11th had dispensed with excuses for competition long ago (because really, competition is an end in itself).

All this made for a barracks and training ground that were always a riot of noise. Comparatively, the current activities of 11th's third seat seemed out of place. Not that paperwork was an unusual activity for the seated officers of the Gotei 13, it was just that bureaucracy didn't really fit the atmosphere of the 11th. Or, more accurately, it was the way Ikkaku went about this particular duty that didn't fit. He sat quietly amidst stacks of carefully organized paper, arranged by the amount of attention they would require and their relative priority. Each stack had its place in the hierarchy and would be examined and completed in turn. He had a system, it was a good system, it got things done. Ikkaku was content to step back from the world and devote all his attention to completing this particular chore with meticulous care as long as…

"The Hell?! Wha... that was there for a reason, damn it!"

...no one messed with the system.

"I have to sit somewhere, Ikkaku, it was in my way." Yumichika quipped, moving the offending stack to a more convenient location and settling down in its place. They were in Zaraki-taichou's office, had been for the entire morning, and the monotony of the day was beginning to tax Yumichika's nerves.

"It's called a floor." Ikkaku responded.

"Without a pillow or a mat? My hakama will get dirty." He huffed.

"Well, if you're goin' to take up space, at least do somethin' useful." Ikkaku muttered pointing at the next stack in line. From his current angle Yumichika could make out enough of the writing to tell it had to do with such mundane matters as stationary supplies and the like, not at all interesting.

"I'd love to, really" Yumichika cooed, looking over his shoulder and batting his lashes teasingly. "But I'm babysitting."

"I'm not a baby, Funny-brows!" Yachiru called indignantly from amidst her drawing supplies waving a crayon at him for emphasis. She'd been spread out on the floor coloring most of the morning, throwing crayons at Ikkaku (which he caught, often without looking up) between pictures when she couldn't think of what to doodle next.

"Of course not, Fukutaichou. Is that Taichou killing a Hallow? The streams of blood are a nice effect, very colorful." Placated, the girl went back to her drawing and Yumichika made a mental note to find more red crayons, they got used up so fast.

Things settled for the moment he reached up the sleeve of his kimono and extracted a rose hued sucker. It had come from Yachiru's stash but she had so many it likely wouldn't be missed. Pulling off the wrapping he put it in his mouth. It tasted like strawberry and was beyond sweet, the sort of candy his Fukutaichou was fond of. Pulling it out again he twirled it between his lips, knowing the candy would stain them in an alluring fashion.

"How long do you think he'll be gone this time?" Yumichika turned to look back at Ikkaku but he was looking down at the paperwork despite having asked the question. He put the sucker back in his mouth, thinking.

Their Taichou had been wandering off sporadically ever since that boy and his friends had left. Sometimes he'd only be gone for a few hours, other times he'd be gone for days. Every time Zaraki was pursuing the same goal: to learn his zanpakutou's name. At first the three had followed but quickly learned their presence wasn't in their best interests. Even Yachiru had become wary of the fluxing reitsu and random destruction as Zaraki became frustrated in his attempts to get his zanpakutou's attention. Eventually, after Yumichika was nearly knocked unconscious by an exceptionally strong burst of reitsu, they stopped following whenever their Taichou went off. Instead, they spent the time he was gone going through the paperwork and attending to the division.

"He seemed particularly determined this morning." Yumichika observed, pulling the sucker out with a soft pop. Remembering how Zaraki had stormed into his quarters early that morning to thrust a still sleeping Yachiru into his arms and then leave without a word, he added, "He'll probably be gone at least a few days, maybe longer."

"He's doin' it all wrong." Ikkaku sighed, starting in on a new stack. He frowned at the first form. "What the hell are petty supplies, what the hell are they for?"

"Dare you to tell him that." Yumichika replied, licking his sucker delicately.

"Do I look stupid?" Ikkaku growled, signing the form and tossing it on the Out pile.

"Hmmm..." He hummed and smiled as he pulled the sucker back into his mouth with his tongue.

"What, you calling me stupid?"

Yumichika turned and raised his eyebrows as if to say 'Who, me? I didn't say anything' and pulled the sucker out slowly, sucking off the juice. Ikkaku was glaring at him, but that look hadn't affected him for years, not in the way Ikkaku meant it to. He placed the sucker back in his mouth, resting it on top of his tongue and twirled it around, lips parted.

"Would you knock that off?" Ikkaku grumbled taking another form off the stack.

"Why?"

"Because it's distracting."

"Distracting?" Yumichika purred.

"As in: annoying as hell." Ikkaku growled back.

"Really?" Yumichika smirked. Deciding to push his luck, he leaned back over a small stack of paper. Resting his head on whatever form his friend was going over, one hand above his head, the other holding the sucker to his lips. He hoped the arching of his back over the paperwork looked prettier than it felt. "Are you sure?" he murmured before licking the red candy at his mouth.

Ikkaku didn't say anything. His expression giving nothing away. Yumichika was just wondering whether he'd misjudged the other's mood when a blue crayon hit Ikkaku between the eyes. He blinked once then shot out of his chair. Sitting back up, Yumichika watched him storm across the room, pick Yachiru up and head toward the door.

"Maki-Maki's got bubble gum hidden up his sleeves. Sick 'em." He said, tossing the happily shrieking girl out the door before slamming it closed. A little surprised, Yumichika watched Ikkaku turn and stalk toward him.

"Why did you tell her something like tha- mmph!" He was cut off as Ikkaku pulled him off the desk and kissed him, almost harshly. A few moments later the sucker fell, unnoticed, to the floor.

"If you wanted attention, you coulda said so." Ikkaku muttered, kissing down his neck.

"Mmmm… but teasing you is far more entertaining." He replied, letting his head fall back and arching just so.

Not long after, the paperwork, so painstakingly organized and arranged, joined the sucker on the floor.

End

Note: I couldn't find the proper word for a person's spirit energy so I guessed from memory and came up with "reitsu". I'd go through the Anime for the proper word if I was in a position to, but I'm not. So if this is wrong would someone please tell me? Not knowing is driving me nuts. :) Thanks.